Strike Witches: Modern Warfare (HIATUS)
by StrikerStanding692
Summary: 70 years after the second neuroi war, the Red Neuroi have started to find their way BACK to humanity, to reach them, to crush them. Brianna, an operative of the CIA must gather allies to find the hidden successor of Rosaimus before they see another war bring chaos and destruction. Join her and her friends as they go through missions to prevent chaos or battle their foes for it.
1. Prologue

_**My name… is Brianna Dietlinde-Wilcke Fray… and I had a long life of living to tell.**_ _I was born during the second neuroi war… against humanity. After I was born and my umbilical cord was cut, I immediately had an ability activated… which triggers my age to change at my will. My parents then found out my IQ either remains constant… or it's raised to a certain extent. For that… they're both grateful._

 _I lived with my parents for five years still aware that I have the ability to change my age. I sometimes let nature take over to let me age, but I chose to try living on my own. This made Minna… my mother feel alone… but what she didn't know is that I always loved her, and my father as well. They both knew that I needed to have my life because I can access adulthood already. But with it also came my wisdom as to how life went. With my mixture of knowledge and wisdom carefully formed as I go… My first favorite thing to do was gather information. With truth comes the true form of history… and with humanity's very own history? The neuroi almost destroyed us… and that's the very first thing I needed to get through first. I left them… but I had no regrets, and neither do they._

 _After having done some work for the Blue Neuroi seeing my great talent and work to gather intelligence, they decide to leave. I've been helping them for so long but they decided to think that their presence hinder humanity's progress to grow either with light, or dark. It's humanity's cause… and they're not part of it. I took time to work with them, and it was time I moved on. I thought matters with the neuroi were over… but it's not._

 _The year 1958 became a very memorable year for every human who lived. After the purge, in which its main operator named Heinz Hartman, AKA Lord Rosaimus, all the earth-born neuroi ceased to exist after he injected what seemed to be the essence of the neuroi DNA into the earth's magic draw points, enabling the species to spawn at those areas. It's what we thought. The year 1958 was 12 years after the earth-born neuroi have been stopped by members of the 555_ _th_ _JFW Triple Nickels, 501_ _st_ _JFW Strike Witches, and the former 64_ _th_ _Deep Science Division Fighter Wing Derby Witches. Hartmann was resposible together with an associate named Helena. Both their cores were clearly shattered in the operation. But after the earth-born neuroi were dormant, they built their own sense of magic from the ground. The injected essence of the neuroi in Earth started to grow in power until enough was made to spawn small groups of low-level type neuroi into the world. When that was discovered… we also found out they're wild. They just roam the world without any regret like they're innocent. Humanity first saw this as a good sign of co-existence, but it was later found out it's a completely different case._

 _A decade of research passed and the scientific community discovered something that will truly change the face of humanity. The neuroi that roam around the world are known to be just wild and have no masters… but given that… they don't have intelligence as well. It very much means… as we fear, that they're unpredictable. And once this was out, years later… people started to hate the neuroi as if they're like infestations. This got some of the wild neuroi to act against humanity… thus launching defensive strategies in all forms of army around the world. The fighting didn't stop… and the order for the full elimination of the neuroi was issued. Soon, all wild neuroi were 'cleaned' from the planet._

 _That, however… did not last either. Thanks to the work of the Purge… more and more neuroi spawn each time… and because of that, witches still are there to protect… but there aren't as many as there were before. Humanity co-existed with witches and a lot of them hid just to belong on the current time periods that came. And so… only witches in service that are 18 years old and above are accepted to be in the military for defensive and offensive purposes against the neuroi. The world was equalizing in forces once again._

 _But then other nations didn't want to feel secured with their own allies, after finding some countries a bother with religion or beliefs… or cultures… or even traditions made by every individual. And so… the world molded that some countries like Orussia, Xing, and New Korea have decided to part ways from the United Nations, declared in the same world to unite others in their quest for peace. Others have a way of prospering… but equality is what we look for now. Finally, the modern day of man came… and witches are now part of the equation, which still didn't change._

 _I for the meantime, decided to live as an individual of true value. 30 years after I was born… I decided to work for the intel-gathering community. Of course, a big leap would be applying for the Central Intelligence Agency. I made my life in Liberion while I studied there. After a long period… my skills were of advanced analysis in situations and fighting at the same time. Likewise… my skills would be of a normal field agent and an analyst, which counts to being part of the world's most powerful intelligence community. But when I applied, they told me I'm not needed in their offices. I know I can go and climb a hundred mountains out of what I do… but instead of seeing that they don't need people of my expertise, it's the complete opposite. I'm too valuable. And to prove that, they offered me a spot in the National Security Agency, handling threats against the U.S. Government while in Liberion or outside, but not that far. I've done my best, and eventually I got in the CIA as well. From there… I became not only an icon… but an all-around agent._

 _I'll tell of my stories of how I got accepted in the CIA later on… but I should tell how they handled things when they found out my ability to change age and status at one package. Everytime I switch to a younger age, I'm more eager, speedy and somehow energetic. If I switch to be older, I'm much wiser and knowledge oriented as well. If I'm in between the two… I'm more physical at the same time, analytic, giving balance between the two previously mentioned ages. This made me not just an agent, a witch… but also a possible spy or assassin. Because of this… my records were erased. Nobody knows who I am… except myself… and them. I start from scratch… and I'm a secret to Liberion. It's fine with me, as long as I still have a life to go for, which I still need._

 _I thought it had to end there… the issues of the neuroi… the world crumbling upon its own chaos of attempting war of one nation against another… it was only a matter of time until we all explode in being against each other that we didn't see our next extinction: The Red Neuroi were about to return once again…_

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CHAPTER 1... COMING SOON...

Please read Strike Witches: The World's Finest to understand what the Red Neuroi are! ;) Chapter 1 won't be available until more chapters are published from it... so be patient, and stay tuned! :)


	2. Pilot

This is actually a short chapter. So on my next one... please direct yourselves to "The World's Finest" just to resume my ol' work!

* * *

 **Responses from my reviews so far:**

 **To Aviat0r:**

 _ **Yup! It's a crazy ability... and did you know Brianna's the first and may be the only one who may have this ability? She's one in a million... so I should say she's special...**_

 **To Motown Scrapper:**

 _ **The age restriction will not affect the dire ending of a witch at mature age. The reason the normal witch's magic dries out during the second neuroi war at the age of 20 is because of the constant battling they experience. The striker units themselves make quite the magic consumption. Let's look at Sakamoto's situation: She was already in active service acting as a soldier somehow in the period of the Fuso Sea Incident or after that. From then, she became invaluable as both a soldier and an honorary girl of Fuso after spending that much magic to almost her whole career. Magic only dries out and completely leaves the witch whenever high magic consumption is always made in the witch, likewise... the age won't matter.**_

 ** _So one major reason why the age restriction for active service witches in selected nations is 18 years old, is because there is no war to prepare for, and only for defensive purposes will the witches serve. If ever there is a war to prepare for... the age restriction will be lifted only on the dire need of a nation._**

Well... that settles that! Here's the first chapter! :) Gonna be updating "The World's Finest" once ya guys see this chapter, so enjoy! ;)

* * *

Year 2015 was not just an age to define technology at its best, but it's also the present year as to how the threats of the past come to return. The infamous Lord Rosaimus since the second neuroi war once spoke of an eternal adversary that humanity will face. It remains to be true they have completely left a mark in the history of every of person after the unsuccessful attempt for humanity and the Blue Neuroi to stop the Purge. This was not changed ever since. Now that it was made so, humanity must live with the earth-born neuroi unwillingly just to see the species grow. With all the earth-born neuroi left with no master or intelligence, they can be half-threats… but humanity chose to put them aside, forgetting even the memory of the Blue Neuroi was stained from the past. With no effort of humanity to remember not all neuroi are the evil incarnate for them, they have completely forgotten what it felt to have a simple light in all that darkness. They have finally been blinded by the modernization and prosperity of their own world that they started to think for themselves, and sadly… the witches of each time period soon forgot what all of it meant… all except one…

Every passing decade had hurt Brianna, herself. As much as she lived for the Liberion government and humanity, she chose to keep finding the truth for the nation she trusted most. The interests of Liberion go beyond just protecting their own allied nations: Fuso, Romagna, Britannia, Karlsland, Australis, Farawayland, and Hispania. The other countries chose to go their own ways in just taking care of their own territories. And she made sure those countries are not threatened… not given any malice. Before, however, she was brought in by the CIA… something else happened.

 _ **CHAPTER 1**_

"Pilot"

 _ ***Night of October 13, 2015… San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge…***_

The director of intelligence, Mark Henley with 38 years of age was driving his silver Chevrolet Cobalt SS on his way to the airport. After his recent meeting with a superior of the FBI in San Francisco, he decided he stay hidden from his other escorts and make it to the airport on his own. There was nothing in his car that could have been used to be tracked… or so he thought. The car belonged to his brother who was waiting at the airport that time, in which it was an opportunity they would help each other by driving the car towards the airport before his brother would take it, and Henley would finally go back to Virginia.

The night was getting a little late and he noticed there were a few cars ahead and behind him. This however… is not the problem. There was a black matted Hummer H3 ahead of him. He noticed that when he tried to overtake it, the Hummer kept on being on his path. He then pressed on his horn on the steering wheel just before his cellphone rang. He groaned at this, asking himself what his own bad luck was doing in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge.

He finally got on the line without looking that the number was unknown to his phone. _**Look… not right now.**_

 _ **[Mr. Henley, please listen to me.]**_ A female's voice in her late 20's spoke. _**[I believe you're being targetted by the System Supremacists Group.]**_

This had Henley off-guard. The System Supremacists Group aims to keep bringing back the old system in which Liberion still preserves its own freedom that it doesn't get in the privacies of many individuals. The CIA once boasted of its ability to keep track of all of its citizens, even looking at their records… their activities, which sometimes lead to many arrests. The computer age was a way for future threats to be prevented, which SSG does not like. They remain in secret… and even CIA does not have a hold of them. And now they're targetting the Director of Intelligence himself.

Henley felt the voice on the other line was a threat. _**Who the hell are you?! How'd you get this number?**_

 _ **[There is no time. Look behind you right now.]**_ The woman's voice spoke and he then humored her by doing it. He looked at his rear-view mirror and saw an identical black matted Hummer H3, not noticing the Hummer in front of him slammed on the brakes as its rear immediately collided with the bumper and hood of the Cobalt, making Henley hit the steering wheel with his head. He shook himself back to reality before he felt the rear of his car was hit as well. The two Hummers have him pinned in between and he was in a state of panic. He then noticed the phone was not on his hand, but knocked off and on the floor of the car. But before he could reach it, the car finally stopped and he felt a glass broke and something pointy stuck to the back of his head. And instantly, he was knocked out by a tranquilizer dart, leaving his head blank as he saw darkness.

 _ ***Unknown area…***_

Henley stirred and felt his eyes were being blocked and his mouth gagged with a cloth. He then felt his hands were tied, and his feet tied to a chair he eventually knew he sat on. Being tied and blinded by something covering his eyes and gagged by the cloth that covered his mouth meant that he was being held as a hostage, and possibly, someone for ransom.

" _ **First time to be carefree.**_ " A man with a Liberion accent said before he chuckled. " _ **I didn't expect that from someone like you, Mr. Henley.**_ " Mark then started to make sounds and shook his head… trying to find out where he is exactly. " _ **There's no use of getting out of there. We're in a secure location. And I'm guessing you already know who kidnapped you.**_ " He made more sounds… and panicked ones. " _ **GOOD!**_ " He felt there was a knot behind his head being untied and pulled before his eyes felt the cold and looseness before he opened them as he only saw a fist connect to his face. His chair fell backwards and he hit his head to the floor… but felt it was a minor hit. He shook himself back to see that there was a person in a balaclava, and another in a balaclava but had an M4A1 slung in front of him.

Henley noticed the cloth on his mouth was no longer there and he spoke up. "Where… am I?"

"It's best to ask what you're doing here." The man in the balaclava without a weapon in his hands stated before he looked closely at Henley's face after bending over. "You know, you don't need to really give yourself a self-pity, cause you're already pathetic when you took the position of Director, asshole."

"Fuck you."

"Wow." The man said as he stood straight. "I really feel that you're just as resilient as we are."

"What the hell do you want?"

"You know what we want. The Hispanian government caught 5 of our guys after their attempt to assassinate the Fusoan Prime Minister. Sure… it may be for our cause… but it's up to those 5 guys what our next objective is. Fuso is just a small blip in the world… yet it likes to keep expanding its territories… and Hispania is in our backpocket. We can't let that happen. Asiectans suck ass."

"What's your excuse? Hispania is willing to let some of their areas go because Liberion is going to re-supply them with some of the goods they need. Fuso is only going to take the trade route for some materials to be distributed…"

"For a new project? Tell me… what is the Fusoan government going to do with a big railgun?" The man laughed. "You think any of the those Red Neuroi will come back?"

"Goddamn it, you have no right to judge them! It will not be used against a nation because its angle will always be focused towards the Stratosphere and at outer space you piece of shit."

"Still, you give us the bad glare. Fuso is just gonna look for a test-run for the railgun, and you're gonna have Hispania for…"

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

"SHUT UP!" Then Henley felt his head kicked by the man's boot. "I know you're not gonna cooperate with us which is why we're forcing others to do our bidding with you in here."

Henley made a weak laugh. "Are you kidding me? They'll kill you all."

"Maybe, but not without shooting you first."

"By you?"

"By them." The man chuckled just before he left the room. He then talked to the guard holding an MP5 outside the room. "Get him ready to be shipped out again. We're making sure we get him to a more secure location before the CIA closes in on us." Then, he decided to get to the stairs. The old carpets of the floor and wallpapers of the walls made the place look like an old motel as he noticed. Shaking it off his mind, he started to do his usual status report routine.

 _ **Patrol units… check in.**_

 _ **[Ground Floor, clear.]**_

 _ **[Outer perimeter, clear.]**_

 _ **[Second Floor, clear.]**_

 _ **[Third Floor, clear.]**_

The man waited for a while only to hear silence. He knew there was supposed to be one more report coming from the fourth floor and he knew very well that something wasn't right as he stopped midway at the stairs before proceeding to the floor where the patrol units at that area didn't respond.

 _ **Fourth floor patrol unit, what the hell? Where are you?**_ The man said before he waited for a response. Then he knew something. ' _Someone called the director just before we knocked him out._ ' "Shit…" _**All units… we got an intruder at the fourth floor! Whoever he is… AGGH!**_ He heard only submachinegun fire pierce through the wood of the stairs and bullets come through his back and exiting at his chest, regretting he didn't wear his armor. He didn't fathom as his body gave out and he dropped dead before he could do anything else.

A woman in her late 20's with dark maroon colored shoulder-lengthened hair was ready with her MP5. Brianna had no choice but to proceed to the fifth floor through the stairs. It was a rush knowing that the director was a high-value individual, and she grabbed an MP5 but didn't take a supressor. ' _Just my luck. Now they know I'm around._ ' She thought as she climbed the stairs while aiming her MP5 upwards to see if any guys in balaclavas fire at her. For a brief moment, he saw a man with an M4A1 rifle who then spotted her. Without hesitation, Brianna pulled the trigger and a short burst of bullets had drawn blood from the man before tumbling dead backwards. She got on the fifth floor and noticed a door close. ' _That's where he is!_ ' She immediately ran to the door with MP5 in hand and sight-held before she kicked down the door and time slowed down. Two men were inside and one was aiming for the director's head. Brianna then took time to aim before she fired one shot. The bullet then pierced the man who was aiming the pistol at the HVT before she switched targets to another balaclava man aiming his M4 down at her. She fired one bullet at him and the bullet pierced his forehead dropping him. Time went normally as she sighed.

She explored the room and Henley was almost terrified. "Sir… are you alright?"

Henley took a deep breath before he saw Brianna go behind him and felt his hands loosened from the ropes that tied it. "I am now. Who are you?"

"NSA. We tracked some communications from several areas and they were all affiliated with the SSG. Director Henley, right?" She asked while she released him from the ropes on his hands and proceeded to untie his legs.

"That's right. Who are you?"

"Fray."

Then Mark recognized the name. "You mean you're the daughter of the late Tyler Fray?"

When he said 'late', Brianna knew as she frowned that he was already gone. "Yeah."

Henley chuckled. "Then Liberion owes you for getting me out of here."

"That's what a joint chief would say, sir. Right now. It's important I get you out of here." She said before she finally loosened up the ropes and he got loose. With that done, she used her earpiece.

 _ **Star Shooter… How long?**_

 _ **[ETA… 30 seconds. Stay alive for that long.]**_ A teenage girl's voice rang out in Brianna's ears.

 _ **Of course I will.**_ She said before she then lead the two of them with MP5 in hand going out of the room only to find multiple rounds go past her. She pushed both of them back inside. "Shit! They got here before we could get to the fire exit!"

 _ **[Just use your shields, Bree.]**_

 _ **I'm not using my shields here. Thank you very much.**_ And Brianna's own response caught Henley off-guard, once not aware that she was a witch.

"You're a witch?" Henley briefly asked before more rounds came past the doorway. She nodded as she prepared a flash grenade.

"But I'm making sure my magic lasts longer." Brianna said with a smile before pulling the pin and throwing the flash grenade. It took a second before a flash enveloped the hallways and Brianna exposed herself with her SMG forward as she loosed bullets at the blinded enemies. She took out two men before she sensed some fire at her and took cover. ' _Looks like not everyone was blinded that time._ ' Then she got out of cover again and fired short bursts, but retreated back cover again to reload. ' _This is very interesting. The way it all works must be a bother to task force members._ ' She thought just before she finished loading a magazine and readied it again.

 _ **[I'm at the street and positioning. You got a surprise because it'll be wild.]**_ The girl said before Brianna faintly heard a jet striker's engine from outside.

Brianna got out of cover again just to see a man from afar holding an RPG-7 launcher, with its rocket equipped. ' _Oh shit._ ' He pressed the trigger and she rolled out of the way, pushing Henley away from the doorway before an explosion enveloped the outside of the doorway. She shielded him from the extra heat that came from the explosion. She shook her head and looked behind her, seeing the small shield she made. She later dropped it. ' _I'd only make shields when necessary._ ' "Are you okay?"

"We won't be for long." Henley said looking at the man aiming his M4A1 at them. Then a strong firing was heard from afar before a bullet got through the window of that room and hit the man square in the chest before he was pushed to the wall, bleeding before he sat on the floor weak… and finally died because of blood loss. "Is that a…?" ' _Anti-armor round?!_ '

 _ **[They're getting wet with my 50-cal rain RIGHT NOW!]**_ The girl said before more rifle fire came from afar and more bullets game through the window, then the wall near the doorway just to get its bullets to some men. _**[This X-ray mod on my visor… rocks.]**_ She said as she kept firing bullets past the window and the doorway wall.

' _Yeah. I can notice._ ' Brianna thought as she saw another man come through the doorway and got hit by a 50-cal round between his eyes, spilling blood on the wall where the first man was killed. "Mr. Henley, we gotta move!"

 _ **[That floor's clear, and I'm seeing more from below. I'll try to fire from the same side if I can.]**_

Brianna then stood up with Henley and she took point with her weapon ready. They both walked the hallway where they saw bodies of men in balaclavas, while bathed in their own blood. She led them both to the stairs and kept going from there. _**Where are they?**_

 _ **[Third floor, and I have range. Firing!]**_ Soon, Brianna was hearing more sniper fire as she kept going down the stairs while alert of all sides.

 _ ***Old Motel exterior…***_

Brianna and Mark got out after knowing two more were taken out by the girl in the striker units. Soon, that same girl revealed herself while she hovered near Brianna, with a Spetznaz pattern grey spandex uniform included with mask and visors. The girl had black with purple highlighted colored upper-back lengthened hair. Henley then noticed the striker units were F-22's and the weapon she held was a Berett 50-cal Anti-Materiel Rifle. "Impressive." He muttered before looking at Brianna. "I don't know how to thank you."

"Welcome!" The teenage girl said with a smile.

"And you are?" He asked after the girl's reply.

"Josephine O'Brian, director!" Josephine gladly said before some sirens were heard from afar. "It looks everyone's coming at this place now."

Brianna then caught Henley's attention. "You're not safe yet until we switch you over to the CIA's custody. We have to go." Then she pointed her head to Josephine. "You gotta fly out here because we can't let the others find out about us!"

"Roger! Good luck!" Josephine said before she flew upwards with her strikers and zoomed away from the area. Brianna then led Henley away from the area, hoping to meet someone from the CIA and get him to safety.

 _ ***Multi-storey complex space… 2338 hours…***_

After Henley made some calls, a contact of his will be picking up the director. Brianna and himself walked to the center of the complex space. And met a man wearing a suit and tie. He was actually looking like a Liberion, far from the fact that he was bald. "Sir… we gotta go and get you somewhere safe."

Henley groaned at this and then went with the escort, then leaving Brianna. "I'll repay you one day! Thank you!" He said to her as he walked away with the escort.

Then there she was as she sighed, seeing the two walk away from the scene peacefully. It was another long night, and she couldn't wait to get back to her simple apartment after this… looking forward to the bath that she always wanted to experience again…

 _ ***The next morning… 0538 hours… Brianna's apartment…***_

Brianna was in the bathroom after only four or five hours of sleep as she seemed to remember. She thought she would take her shower during the night, but thought of doing it that morning instead, thanks to being too tired to get up from bed from last night. She eventually got out of the bathroom and wiped herself with her towel, and was still naked and aware the windows were closed. ' _It at least feels cool when I'm like this. Got this from my mom, I guess._ ' But as soon as she thought of Minna… she sighed. "I wish you were around, mom."

She decided to sit on her bed and reached at the small table and took the framed picture of Tyler and Minna together with Brianna, in front of the Dover Base castle, the first location of the former 501st Joint Fighter Wing. The picture then had a brownish sepia color and somehow reminded her that it was only on that moment that she understood what Minna had gotten through. Managing a whole Joint Fighter Wing seemed to be hard. Brianna then remembered her conversation with Minna.

" _ **So Bree… how are you seeing this place?**_ "

" _ **It kinda makes me feel I wanna do what you do, mom. All that responsibility seemed to make you stressed.**_ "

" _ **All of it was stressful. I once had a little argument with Mio Sakamoto after I found that her magic was running out on her. But that was just us… together with another who just listened in. Yoshika had much more resolve to finish what we all started before we attempted to take out the hive near Venezia. At that time, it felt less stressful considering only one of us was able to defeat the hive with a sword.**_ "

" _ **Wait, what?!**_ " Somehow Brianna felt surprised.

Then Minna laughed afterwards. " _ **Oh, Bree… After that, the wing disbanded, and things were almost going back to normal… or so it seemed. New Karlsland still needed to make sure Karlsland was at its best in its restoration. We got Berlin back and Magdeburg, along with a few towns…**_ "

" _ **But then the Berlin attack…**_ " Brianna stopped there and looked regretfully at Minna. " _ **I'm sorry.**_ "

" _ **No, it's quite fine.**_ " Minna said with a weak smile. " _ **Everything was worsening again from that time on, after Trude died. We were missing one heavy lifter. It's a good thing we were able to hold out long especially with the appearance of the Deep Science Division.**_ "

" _ **You know… everything that you do for the team… well… you still give them the will to keep moving. Mom, you kept their heads together while you were still grieving, with the help of Dad, of course.**_ "

" _ **Your father…**_ " Minna chuckled. " _ **At first, I wasn't at good terms with him… but it quickly turned around when we realized we each lost each other a loved one in our lives. That's what drew us closer quickly. He wanted to love someone and I wanted the same thing. And we kept each other then we were loyal to each other.**_ "

" _ **Aww…**_ " Brianna nudged her own mother.

" _ **Bree!**_ " Minna nudged back before she laughed, then followed by Brianna.

 _ ***Miami, Florida… 1122 hours… October 14, 2015, Wednesday…***_

" _ **Miss… hey, we're here!**_ " The taxi driver said and Brianna stirred awake.

She shook her head after letting out a soft moan. ' _I must have dozed off for a while there._ ' "Oh… thanks. Keep the change." She said before she gave some money to the taxi driver and got out with one pull-luggage. She arrived and walked in the old and small civilian airstrip that people once used just to fly in from and to nearby islands. ' _I remember that some go to Key West too. Oh. Just the old buildings become a good cover._ ' She chuckled as she eventually walked at a closed-door hangar where usually, single-engine planes would be found. She knocked on the steel and partially rusted door and steel door was moved to make a small opening for her to enter. She went in and saw a few tables with lights focused on them, and men were cleaning up their assault rifles, pistols… even disassembling them. "I hope you guys aren't tired!" Brianna greeted them as she walked by them.

"Not breaking a sweat, Ma'am!" One of them said and she chuckled, admiring his positivism.

Brianna eventually got to the part of the hangar where she saw multiple monitors and two keyboards, with two processing units below them. "Ken!"

The blonde spiky-haired four-eyed 20 year-old stretched his arms when he came in from behind his work station. "Ah, hey Bree."

"Tough life working out for you?"

Kenneth just shrugged. "2 months in it ain't that bad after all."

"And what do you think of the internship?"

"Ain't that bad at all." Kenneth laughed at the thought. "And here I thought it was simple. I like it."

She sighed as she thought of another subject. "Any luck of him?"

"No." Kenneth frowned as he pressed a few buttons on the keyboard. The screens have shown an individual search pattern for Mark Henley. "Ever since Henley got off the radar… we can't even find out where the hell he is."

Brianna looked down in shame. "This is my fault. He looked convincing to me."

"Don't beat yourself up like that."

"And I remember that I was just relieved of getting back at my apartment just to sleep instead of bathe myself." She said those words and she saw him blush with his eyes widened. "What?"

"Uh…" He shook his head and looked away. "It's quite nothing."

Brianna smiled. "Don't worry. You'll have a good time one day. BUT, it won't be me."

"Huh?! I didn't mean anything by that!"

" _ **Sure. You should listen to the boy, Brianna.**_ " A man behind Brianna said before she saw the suit and tie wearer who had silver hair walking at them. "Henley was fine… but then he's gone? No CIA agent has ever traveled 20 minutes from Virginia."

"30 minutes from the small branch to the meeting place, Chance." Brianna replied. "I arrived at the complex 10 minutes before the agent got there. Then I suppose I should have already considered that the agent is one of the SSG? Way ahead of you."

"Oh." He groaned as he stopped in front of her and glared at her. "You're just a step behind."

"And what would you have done?"

"Ask the identification number of the agent first. If that's confirmed not an agent, I kill the guy." Chance chuckled. "You're not being too careful and alert of anyone you meet."

"I'm being flexible."

"You're being lazy."

"Fuck you."

"You gotta face it, Fray. You're not just facing the SSG, but probably its hidden benefactor. And let me remind you how COMPLETELY mysterious this benefactor is, even for the intel community." Chance explained, and Brianna smiled. "What are you smiling about?"

"Maybe this would be the time I would get in the CIA after all."

Chance just chuckled. "Tsk tsk. I like that thinking, but it's not gonna happen unless there's a big bribe from you." He then laughed and turned his back on her. "Face it. You'll just be a dot to them."

She just shook her head and looked back at the screens. "Just try to mess my day once, and you'll get it one day, Chance."

 _ ***Gallian Carrier Royaut**_ _ **é**_ _ **... Atlantic Ocean... 1500 hours...***_

 _ ***Tracking: Jacqueline Clostermann...***_

Her olive-green eyes were focused forward as her fly-by past the carrier brought her Dassault Rafale striker units to its limit of Mach 2. Everyone who was on the carrier almost had their ears blown as she flew past the carrier's main deck. Her curly blonde upper-back lengthened hair waved back as her speed remained constant after she attained the top speed brought by her strikers. ' _It's actually worth the time. At least I'm more than ready to take on anyone with these. I thought they could just make the aircraft model, but these are good too._ ' Then she was joined by two Rafale jet fighter craft.

 _ **[Chef de vol , trouvez-vous des problèmes? (Flight Leader, do you find any problems?)]**_

Jacqueline knew that her new strikers should serve her well. _**Négative. Les performances sont optimales. (Negative. Performance is Optimum.)**_ She answered this with confidence and was smiling. Then… something came up. Her magic antannae activated as they turned red. _**Je détecté une unité de neuroi! Je répète ... Je détecté une unité de neuroi! Formation ... centre arrière! (I detected a neuroi unit! I repeat... I detected a neuroi unit! Formation... Line Astern!)**_ And soon, her two other squadron members got their aircraft behind her and in a straight line. The Carrier Royauté's captain was worried and decided to call them.

 _ **[Ceci est la Royauté Transporteur! Vous transférez hors de portée! Quel est votre statut? (This is the Carrier Royauté! You are moving out of range! What is your status?)]**_

But before she could answer, a neuroi beam was fired from underwater and she saw it first. She put her shield up to protect herself and her squad mates behind her. ' _It's underwater?! I can't take them like this!_ ' _**La cible est sous l'eau! (The target is underwater!)**_ Then they went past it as another beam fired. The rear Rafale was hit but has Ion Shielding, which worked lightly making it buckle after one hit.

Then the pilot noticed something with the beams. _**[Chef d'escadrille, la cible est à une faible profondeur. (Flight Leader, the target is at a shallow depth.)]**_

Jacqueline then lead the two other aircraft and did a sharp turn going back towards where the neuroi fired those beams. ' _The two jets I got with me are carrying guided torpedoes._ ' _**Membres de vols 2 et 3, déposez vos torpilles guidées maintenant. (Flight members 2 and 3, drop your guided torpedoes now.)**_

 _ **[ROGER!]**_ Both pilots from the two jets responded as they opened their bomb bay compartments below the body of the craft. Both jets released guided torpedoes which immediately entered the water, and then used its thrusters to zoom in towards the neuroi. The underwater neuroi unit was indeed at shallow depth as the torpedoes went straight for it. They later impacted at the neuroi, making it whine in pain, and immediately attempted to resurface.

Mitsuko was on her way there when she heard of the Gallians having a problem with a neuroi they recently encountered. Like Jacqueline, she was also travelling on Mach 2… but her F-22 striker unit allowed her to go more than that speed. When she spotted the neuroi that surfaced underwater, she immediately equipped her Javelin Hellfire Missile Launcher. ' _So… another day for another neuroi, huh?_ ' She pointed the Javelin towards the neuroi and it then attempted a lock-on. When the weapon made a tone… "LAUNCHING!" She said before she fired the missile as it went upwards and she hovered in place.

The Gallian girl immediately detected the missile launch and looked at the origin just distant. ' _A Fusoan?_ ' But then she noticed the attire. ' _Wait… that's the uniform of the Liberion Air Force._ ' She smiled at this. ' _It looks like they're trying to find out if there are any neuroi around here, huh?_ '

 _ **Your code name is Hellfire, Fusoan. It seems your own reputation precedes you.**_

Mitsuko watched as her missile split into six smaller missiles, and immediately, they zoomed on to the neuroi. Its hide experienced damages from multiple explosions. She then looked at the Fusoan with a smirk. _**Don't bother me. I'm gonna win for us. You don't even have a machinegun with you.**_ She said before she equipped her Type-98 LMG and zoomed in to take out the core.

This got the Gallian pissed. "What did you say?!" She shouted instead of using the communicator. She later saw the core was shattered by Mitsuko's long burst of her MG and the neuroi finally glowed white before it split into flakes in the form of an explosion. However… the Gallian didn't care. She just looked at Mitsuko. Once the Fusoan noticed this… she confronted her face to face. Jacqueline glared at Mitsuko. "You rather didn't boast of Liberion but of yourself. Now THAT is an insult."

The Fusoan just snorted. "You're making it tense, you know that? Don't blame me for saving your ass."

"Saving my butt is one thing, Fusoan. But you'll see when your own bragging becomes the best of you. It'll haunt you forever. Just now… you've made a good rival. Like being better with a Type-98? Then I say we duel once we see each other and are free." She said before she offered her hand. "How say you with real bullets?"

Mitsuko tensed up and glared back before she reached the Gallian's hand, and then squeezing it. "Don't test me."

The Gallian moaned a little in pain and squeezed back before pulling her face closer to the Fusoan's. "Did I do that? I remember offering you a duel with real bullets."

"You won't like how I move when I duel with real bullets, Gallian."

"HEY!" The Gallian snapped. "I have a name, Miyafuji. It's Clostermann. I may have known your reputation as Hellfire… but what I've seen was just something sloppy. As long as I'm still seeing it… I want to keep on reminding you that the battlefield can not just be about victory, but survival. My grandmother told me that after she's experienced the harshness of it on her first time."

Mitsuko blinked in disbelief before she let go of her grip and pulled away. ' _So she really is the granddaughter, huh?_ ' She then smiled. "Alright. You got my attention."

Jacqueline didn't believe what she heard. "You're just bluffing."

"Am I bluffing when I know you're the granddaughter of Perrine Clostermann? Your grandmother went to duel mine before. So I say… to hell with what I think. I think I like taking the old times back."

And that got the Gallian to soften up. She looked away for a while to think but then turned back to Mitsuko. "So it's a deal?"

"Did I say no?" Mitsuko said before she snorted and turned away. "Just don't hold back." She said with a chuckle before she sped away.

' _Then I'll wait for that day._ ' Jacqueline thought before she sped to the direction of the Royauté to rejoin everyone else.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER EPILOGUE…**_

" _ **This… is Wunderbar.**_ " The little blonde teen said before an evil giggle came out of her mouth as she watched the satellite feed. " _ **Oh, and don't worry… it will be all over soon…**_ " She said before she made a maniacal laugh, remembering her torn past… her own hard work taken against her before she went insane.

She's not just there for a vendetta, but for fun…


	3. The Xingiet Issue (Part 1)

**AND HERE IS MY SECOND CHAPTER! To my readers getting their eyes glued to The World's Finest, thank you for the number of reviews... and the support you've given me! I'm going to make this available to Wattpad soon... and stick tight! I'm making another chapter to "The Xingiet Issue" before I move on back to The World's Finest.**

* * *

 **Responses to my reviews so far:**

 **To Motown Scrapper:**

 _ **Some rivalries remain, Mr. Motown. :) Yup. I really put the rivalry of Yoshika and Perrine's grandchildren because firstly... they're completely different because their class from the beginning, was. Perrine was almost a noble, but gave up her riches for the rehabilitation of Gallia since the second Neuroi war. Yoshika was a doctor after she finished being soldier and medic from the same era. No matter if the two of them are friends... competitive rivalry will be happening with their grandchildren because they've heard the tales of their grandmothers.**_

 _ **Hey! Josephine was NOT conceived out of wedlock! Mary had a daugher, and her daughter had a daughter named Josephine! Yes... Jo's a granddaughter of one of the most agile members of the Triple Nickels! Is it the name, of was it Mary's age that made you ask? Interesting! :)**_

 **To Aviat0r:**

 _ **Wunderbar is a translation of "Wonderful." And... I will make sure the past will tell the whole tale of how Heinz's successor will come to be. You're starting to get perceptive about that last chapter in The World's Finest, revealing Rosaimus wanted Erica, and I like that kind of reader. ;)**_

 ** _SW Modern Warfare will be action-packed especially with the modern equipment._**

 ** _By the way... your 'surprise' is waiting during a dialogue. This chapter will be consisted mostly of dialogue, but there's an action scene here!_**

WARNING! LEMON alert ON THIS CHAPTER. If you don't want to read the Lemon, skip the scene. Eventually you'll know the background but skip if it ain't interesting! K? You've been warned.

Enjoy, guyz! ;)

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 2**_

"The Xingiet Issue (Part 1)"

Two days after Henley's attempted kidnapping… and kidnapping again… he was finally located… only in bad territory. Bruruil in the South Liberion continent is in bad condition thanks to the business in crops they usually have. Narcotics seemed to be the main problem in some parts of Liberion, and they seem to get almost the whole market from Bruruil. It even lured cops to do the same thing and buy the drugs from Bruruil and indeed, it hit enough spots that it even got to the hearts of officials not to even touch them, which is indeed bad news. Director Henley was brought in there, and there was a threat issued if ever the Liberion government attempted to get to Henley: All their clients will go against the core departments in the United States of Liberion. There are many of them spread inside Liberion, and at any moment, the Bruruilians will pull the trigger on all of them. CIA cannot even do anything at this, even if the current director were to be declared. President Grant trusted Henley more than anyone else in the intelligence community, but it's sad that Henley had to be put aside for a while. Someone needed to replace him to be the new director in the CIA… and it was all done in one week.

 _ ***October 22, 2015, NSA Team TRACKSTAR facility, Miami, Florida, 1213 hours…***_

 _ ***Tracking… Kenneth Fry…***_

Kenneth was just eating his Xingiet takeouts while seated on his chair. It only seems fair to say that his internship in being a great 'programmer' and 'encoder' seemed to be working. Only thing is… it involved hacking, which puts him as a valuable asset to the NSA. It even had bonus points as his number of hours must amount to a thousand more hours before he would be certified as the agency's greatest hacker alive, and he's aiming for it.

Brianna walked in just to see his progress. " _ **Still eating takeouts?**_ " Then Ken looked at her when he spun the chair.

"Hey, Boss. Well, yeah. Want some?"

She waved her hand to answer negatively. "Already done. Thanks. Is there anything else on our SSG cells?"

"Nothing yet. As much as we're just starting to get to know a little more of the System Supremacists' Group, they're still invisible and we can't even track them completely. They know their places well and I bet they even have a hacker of their own."

"True. They're keeping their tracks covered. They're a big entity, but they can't hide for long." Brianna said with a sigh. ' _And they even kidnapped Henley just to get leverage to try delaying the Fusoan Railgun construction?_ ' "It's only been a year, but they're really making trouble."

" _ **Maybe it gets worse.**_ " An ebony-skinned African-Liberion came in wearing a tactical suit. He had a helmet on and eventually took it off eventually revealing his bald head. He was then holding a brown envelope.

Brianna recognized him. "Simmons. Good to see you."

"You too, Bree. Agents just got a hold of one of the cells from the Xingiet Triads. They were covering some activities related to money laundering and protection, and the profit goes to one named Jun Xi." He then handed over the envelope to Brianna and she opened it to see documents.

"Any hard interests on him?"

"The Orussian Preservists are finding Jun Xi."

And Brianna was surprised. The Orussian Preservists are there to protect the ways of Liberion's current system, which benefits Orussia, Romagna and East Karlsland. They're the current rivals of the System Supremacists' Group. "Wait… you're telling me…"

"…That Jun Xi's closely affiliated with SSG? Yeah. We're still trying to find other leads and Grant's putting a go signal on us if ever we try capturing Jun Xi and putting him as an enemy of the state."

"Seriously, Jun Xi wasn't proven part of the SSG yet, but he's gonna be put as an enemy of the state? Sheesh."

"Relax. He only put that as a suggestion. NSA is gonna be out of it for now… and the FBI will clear their schedule to try searching for Jun Xi."

Brianna sighed. "Good call. If the Xingiets find out the National Security Agency is involved, they'll smell a bigger problem and they'll get Jun Xi out of the country permanently. Good work, Vince."

Vince then nodded. "I'll leave you to relax for a bit. You look like crap." He then chuckled and he started walking out.

"You don't know half of it." She said smiling before he turned his head while walking. After he left, the smile faded on her face and had a little frown etched. ' _Starting from the time I knew there was actually a successor running around in the planet, I don't know what else that'll make me look like shit._ ' She then looked back to Ken who was still eating in the Xingiet food box he had. ' _And the kid certainly has balls after finding out he's gotten into the NSA to inquire in working with us after he finishes his internship._ ' She sighed and shook her head, then deciding to leave before saying something. "Ken, I'm gonna get to my dad's grave. Hold the fort for me, will ya?"

"Sure thing! See ya later!" Ken shouted while he looked at the screens from his two-processor computer station.

 _ ***1347 hours… Flagler Memorial Park…***_

In the midst of the graves that were in the wide grass used for burials… Brianna stopped only to see her father. Tyler Fray: 'Born January 26, 1921… Died October 28, 2003.' He lived a good 82 years, 3 months and 185 days. Bree could only remember the trauma she had after seeing her father die… but in the end, her sadness needed to be put aside just to see her life through… or moreover see the lives of many pass by peacefully no matter what. She made that vow… but she still remember her father who died.

Right now, she only felt her strength that still stood after all those years of grieving. "Hey, Daddy." She smiled as she said. "I know I've lived too long. You probably think I'm kinda crazy of thinking I should give up. And you probably know that I'm gonna break for some reason. But the reason I didn't is because I wanted to be a survivor no matter what. And if I have to be the one who sees death at a very late time, so be it. However… I'll only want to do that knowing that every step of the way… lives are spared at each lifetime. Lives are lived through by anyone who is still happy.

"Daddy… I'm beginning to understand what you told me once. You told me that at each lifetime I live, I get to make new aims. It makes a fresh start. Nothing lasts in this world except the love you express and the forgiveness you express to yourself. And it's a good thing my strong ideals stay with some people too. It came from you, Daddy." Bree said as a tear shed from her left eye. She held the grave that was over Tyler's burial place. "You and Mom gave me both something to live for. I know even this burial place will be the last thing to disappear… but one day I'll die and join you. Still… I have something to fight for now. I won't forget that it'll all be over. Maybe not a year it would happen, but…" She then glowed and let her familiar features out. Letting the glow surround her body, she grew smaller as she closed her eyes. A few seconds later, the glow disappeared and she opened them, and realized she was 19 years old. She started to cry more. "Daddy…!" She cried a little more loudly when she let her head rest on Tyler's grave. ' _I always love you, Daddy. There's torment in my heart… but it's not you punishing me. Every life I live always does. That I can't take back and must accept it…_ ' And she continued to cry just to realize that Tyler and Minna were her past. She may have lived a tormented life… but she knew from the beginning that the troubles she has seen starting from when the neuroi have appeared again, must be minimized or removed. Maybe she won't see it over… but she must remain and see if it ever will…

 _ ***1408 hours…***_

Brianna, now back to her late 20's age walked back to her car. ' _You deserved some streamers on your last birthday. But flowers could do which I never knew you'd really appreciate. I almost had everything but you accepted something simple._ ' She smiled before she saw her car on the road. She used the keys and twisted it on the keyhole before she opened the car door of her BMW M5. It was an old model, but liked it nonetheless. After she got in, however… she already knew she had a visitor and snorted at his scent. "Completely unnecessary Henry." She looked behind her and Henry was under some black sheets giving camouflage to the leather seats. He sat up and Brianna looked at his black with green-highlights hair and his eyebrows were given a shade of black, giving the impression he's an emo. He's an early 20's former carjacker but was given quite a bigger wanted status in New York. Question is… what's he doing here?

"What?" Henry chuckled. "And don't tell me I'm an emo."

"You are, idiot." Brianna rolled her eyes. "And what, may be your business? You're supposed to stay put in New York City."

"Yeah. Rather liked to be smooth in other places, so I'd rather want to see you."

Brianna sighed that she was even her friend. "And you have your ways, Henry. I get it."

"You're still lucky a guy like is available to a grandma and…" Henry then saw a glow from Brianna and she aged her age. To his shock, she was 18. "Fuck."

"You were saying?" Brianna said with a seductive voice.

"Damn it, don't tempt me!" He then groaned before she switched back to being 28 again. She laughed at this. "What? Ain't funny, Bree."

"You just gotta learn that I can't be read even if I'm a granny in nature. Besides… I lived for a lot of years not just to fool around boys. You know that as well as I do."

"Look… the Bicentennial bitch says she lives forever."

"I didn't…"

"And I ain't taking it back." Henry laughed before she smirked.

"And you're still an asshole."

"Thank you."

"Now I got some stuff to do. Mind if you get out?" She motioned her head for him to leave. "And what do you aim to accomplish anyway?"

"Oh… well… like aiming to get a hold of where this Xingiet protection owner is by going into one of the naughtiest places a Xingiet or a Liberion cop would gamble."

Then she blinked in disbelief. "Wait… so you know about Jun Xi?"

"Of course. The guy owns a branch in NYC."

"That's right. It's all the more reason I don't need you."

"But you ALWAYS needed me. Without me… I couldn't even get in the backdoors of places." Henry chuckled evilly at it. "Don't forget I'm the master of unlocking any entrance you know. You can't do things without me."

Brianna sighed. "Those days are seriously over."

"Are they?"

"They are. Now get out." She finally said and he just laughed before he opened the door and got out before closing it behind him. ' _Henry can be such an ass._ ' She finally started the engine and she drove off… hopefully not seeing Henry the second time. ' _I wonder how life's treating him now? I hope he doesn't get into too much trouble._ '

 _ ***Minutes later…***_

She was driving back to the operations base when she got a cell phone call. Josephine was calling and it seemed important, so she answered it.

 _ **[Bree, it's Jo.]**_

 _ **Jo, what's up?**_

 _ **[Listen… some CIA guys called us and told us they'll be coming over.]**_

Somehow, this made the Karlslander Liberion raise an eyebrow. _**Did they tell you what it was about?**_

 _ **[It's mainly about the present issue about the Xingiet Triads hiding Jun Xi somewhere.]**_

 _ **Hiding him?**_

 _ **[They'll be helping us out, they said.]**_

 _ **Now this will be interesting. Does Ken have their location?**_

 _ **[And it seems the intelligence agency allowed their location to be tracked by us. ETA's half an hour.]**_

 _ **I see. I want you to tell them that the issue about Henley should also be talked about. I'll be there in about less than two hours and…**_ Brianna stopped as she saw some heavy traffic in front of her. She then pressed on the brakes and her car was stopped in the middle of the road along with other cars stuck in traffic. _**Make that… three hours. I got traffic issues.**_

 _ **[No, it's okay. They told us they'll call you about the matter once we've started the meeting.]**_ Josephine chuckled. _**[You're tensed up. You okay?]**_

 _ **No, I don't think so. I'm rather pissed finding Henry the carjacker again. It seems he's looking for something new to do in Miami.**_

 _ **[Don't listen to 'em. He's just jealous you're in a good city like Miami.]**_

 _ **Now you're making it sound you wanna have sex with him because the city's beautiful. And I'm jealous already.**_

 _ **[Hey!]**_

 _ **Just gimme a call once the meeting starts. Talk to ya later. Bye.**_

 _ **[Bree…]**_ Brianna ended the call before Josephine talked about something else.

She just looked at the traffic ahead of her. At a distance in the sky, she was seeing jet streams coming from striker units. They were aerial witches patrolling the city limits. ' _I remember the time I tried Mom's striker unit. It was amazing to fly at that time. But I wish I could do it again. Those days that I've been flying seemed to really make me smile._ '

 _ ***Flashback…***_

Early November 1948… a time when some Red Neuroi without a leader still remained. They're not as much as a threat without Rosaimus and Helena around to lead them. The family was somewhere in Hispania just near the eastern shores. The Hispanian Air Force allowed flight to be done through the permission of one of the flight commanders there. Only… it wasn't Minna who was flying.

A witch took off from one of the airbases and it was none other than Brianna, who was handling her mother's Bf109 K-4 striker units. She aged herself to 19 years old to feel the exhiliration as a teenager does. When she flew up… she climbed up rapidly. "Come on, baby! Climb!" She made herself climb until she started to stall while she got to an altitude of 4,500 meters off the surface. ' _I see. That's the service climbing record, huh?_ ' She thought as she flipped and pulled back for her head to see the earth again. When she reached an altitude of 1,500 feet with increased speed, she pulled back up and leveled. Her exhiliration was somehow a first for her, and she laughed at it. Because she started just flying at that age of 19… any younger and she'll experience flying like it was a first. She'll have to master her own emotions as much as her age does.

It took half an hour more of flying before Brianna decided to come back and land. Minna seemed a little concerned especially if Bree didn't have her own radio, so she apologized for being too distant. Minna only waved with two hands in response and hugged her own daugher for it.

Meanwhile, Tyler came running to the two. "Minna, Bree… Hispanian officials are panicked. They say that Madrid's come under attack by Sonics."

"W-what?" Minna somehow to get it but she didn't figure that some sonic neuroi units would remain. They were faster than drones, and she figured that they were able to get away from some raids and focus on non-objective cities like Madrid, capital of Hispania. "We've got to do something, at least."

"Hey, remember you've only pulled strings just to get Bree to fly your striker unit with the flight commander's permission? Cut them slack and…"

" _ **We do that, they'll have more casualties.**_ " Brianna said with her arms crossed. "I know it sounds like we're breaking some rules, but we have to do something. My mom may be retired… but since it's my first and I'm with the Blue Neuroi, I'm gonna be getting out there." She winked at this before she glowed and morphed to an older age. She turned age 25. "Besides… my magic at this point is utilized while I'm only trained as a pilot and not a gunfighter yet. I've only had simulations… but that flight I had with the 109 was enough for me to understand what it really means." Minna and Tyler only looked at her in response. "Mom… Dad… You can both trust me. I may be a big girl who still chooses to be around… but I choose to be myself… and I'm someone who wants to protect anyone who I still can."

Minna widened her eyes at this and remembered Yoshika and Mio saying the same thing. But what happened to Mio… somehow got her discouraged for a bit. Then Minna shook her head from that thought and looked at Bree. "Alright… you've got my trust."

Tyler smiled. "I don't care whether you're one girl or another. You're still our girl."

"Thanks… to both of you." Brianna replied and she immediately ran to the hangar.

"That's my girl." Tyler muttered and Minna heard it.

"I hope what you're saying could really help out." Minna chuckled. "Let's get some earpieces. We've gotta know what Brianna's gonna be seeing."

 _ ***14 minutes later… Madrid, Hispania…***_

AAA guns placed at the city's corners were firing at the neurified sonic aerial neuroi. Because the sonic units were faster than any of the neuroi they all know except the missile neuroi, the AAA guns can't completely pin the sonic neuroi. Because of this, houses were destroyed, even buildings. Civilian casualties have already risen to a confirmed count of eight…

Brianna was flying the Bf109 striker unit and she was on her way to the city holding her MG 42 that Minna handed to her. She then saw there were five sonic neuroi in the city.

 _ **Got them. I have five confirmed Sonic Aerial Neuroi… all red.**_

 _ **[Minna here. Of course, they're Red Neuroi! They're the only ones capable of still being so cruel to humans.]**_

 _ **I wish the Blue Neuroi were here in this area… but I've got this.**_ Bree said before she saw all of the sonics head to her direction. _**It looks like I got their attention. I'm engaging now!**_ She immediately aimed her MG 42 and loosed bullets at them. One of the sonic neuroi were already hit while the rest of them fired. She dodged them every beam fired and then fired on some sonic neuroi without damages. ' _This is hard to do if I don't know where I'll hit them! Hey wait a minute!_ ' As soon as she saw some sonic neuroi getting distant… she saw the thrust was so high they could go faster, but when did the turn, they were slow in turning. ' _That's it! I can either stop their thrust or catch them when they're turning!_ ' Other sonic neuroi were starting to gang up on her as she kept evading and blocking beams when one of them sped past her. ' _There!_ ' She then followed that sonic neuroi from behind her. Sonic neuroi don't have rear beams, so she can do what she could. But as she pursued it… it was going faster than she did. "Shit!"

 _ **[Catch it by their turns!]**_

 _ **Way ahead of you mom, but thanks!**_ Brianna said before she saw the sonic neuroi turn left. It made a slow turn due to its speed, and she can pin the neuroi there. She aimed her MG 42 at a spot ahead of the neuroi and loosed bullets. It hit the sonic neuroi square at the middle of its side where the core was. She smashed the core with her MG fire and it was defeated before it split to white fragments. There were other sonic neuroi that were still around. "Bring it on!"

And for the past few minutes… she's done the same tactic to three other sonic neuroi, leaving her and one other sonic neuroi remaining. She panted at the use of her magic and somehow… although she lasts longer while she is older… her magic regeneration is slow. ' _I've got to switch to a younger age. My magic can't always regenerate fast… but I'll feel the exhiliration again._ ' "Doesn't matter. I gotta do something… now!" She glowed and her body was changing again. She then turned back time for herself and she was 15 years old. She gasped at the new experience while she hovered… and a little fear creeped in. But then she told herself to focus and shook away her childish fears. ' _I've got to focus!_ ' She took a little more time before the neuroi spotted her. She put up her shield and blocked the beam fired from it and noticed that she didn't have a problem with getting her power out like that. ' _My magic's back… but I'm using a lot of it. Although I have a lot to use… I'm usually the power-consuming one if I keep going._ ' "But that time's enough for me!" She muttered before she sped and pursued the neuroi she was facing. The sonic neuroi was already distant from her but she didn't give up. ' _Come on… a little more and I can pin this one while it turns!_ ' Then, the neuroi was slowly turning. "There!" She loosed bullets as the bullets travelled from the barrel to the side of the neuroi. It wasn't the middle, but she's getting there.

 _ **[Baby girl, keep going!]**_ Tyler said over the comms. Bree already gotten used to being called 'baby girl' from him. _**[Bree… shoot near the thrusters at the rear. It'll slow down and you'll probably catch up to it better!]**_

 _ **Roger! Thanks, Dad!**_ Brianna said as she fired at the rear of the sonic neuroi. Soon, the sonic neuroi was able to slow down, but then it regained speed once it regenerated from there. ' _Dad's advice was useful, but I need a teammate here._ '

 _ **[Need some help there?]**_ A witch's voice came on the comms and Bree was confused as to who was there. A night witch with white hair came to Brianna's view and Minna once told her about this witch who was the main talk over St. Trond as 'The Spook of St. Trond.' She was that same witch named Heidemarie.

 _ **Schnaufer, right?**_

 _ **[I've heard some things about you as well, Brianna. The commander's told me about you. I just passed by to say hi.]**_ Heidemarie said while she held another MG 42 and loosed bullets at the sonic neuroi. The front was hit and its hide immediately regenerated. _**[Looks like we're facing a leader. It's a mobile-core sonic neuroi. We've got to take it out faster than it regenerates and hit this thing quick!]**_

Brianna finally got in contact with Schnaufer and both of them hovered and noticed the sonic neuroi flying away and eventually turning to target them. The full Karlslander then looked at the 15 year-old. "I suppose your age can change at your will?"

"Yeah. The younger, the better the agility, power, and magic regen rate. The older, the better the endurance and more accurate in any action I do, even aiming. Even older, my intelligence and wisdom increases even if my body doesn't keep up."

"Wise on being young then. Because we'll need to be fast if the neuroi will speed past us. We can end it while it does."

Brianna nodded and liked the plan. Soon, the neuroi sent beams at them and was closing fast. Schnaufer got in front and used her shield. While the neuroi had its sights on her and kept firing at her while she blocked with her shield, Brianna took this time and loosed bullets to the sonic neuroi's side and pursue it, continuously hitting the rear. It was slowing down, but it's not gonna be enough. Soon, it started to turn. But once it started to turn, Bree already ran out of ammo. Then MG fire came from behind her as the neuroi attempted to pass them again. Heidemarie finally exposed the core when the neuroi was near them, but she shattered the core before it passed them. "Checkmate." She muttered before the neuroi unit was smashed to pieces thanks to the dead core. They both hovered and Schnaufer was impressed. "I was only here to visit a few officials when I heard that you were in combat. Then when I remembered that the commander had a daughter who's capable in combat and trained at it, I didn't figure it would be you."

"And you just guessed?"

"Your movement if you're the same age as Minna right now, would almost be the same."

Brianna widened her eyes at this. "Really?"

Heidemarie nodded and smiled. "For that, I commend you."

The ageing girl sighed as she let her body glow again and turn back to Age 25. At that stage, Brianna's fear was gone and her magic had already returned at this age. "Thanks. I'll be sure to remember this day."

"Then do the best you can. And if you can as well… say hi to my descendants for me." Heidemarie then winked.

And somehow… Brianna seemed a little surprised that Heidemarie did that…

 _ ***End of Flashback…***_

 _ ***Team TRACKSTAR NSA secret ops base, Miami, Florida, 1612 hours…***_

Brianna just got back from the cemetary and she was already briefed about the meeting that some recent CIA agents have talked about with Josephine and Kenneth, and some other NSA agents, but Bree didn't know about one other thing: There was an agent in the CIA who wished to be with them.

Bree was more than surprised but somehow… Déjà vu came in her thoughts when she saw the crimson eyes and white shoulder-lengthened hair. And from the looks of it… she was a Karlslander as well, only wearing a black-operations dress from the CIA. The 18 year-old Karlslander was also surprised to see Brianna as well. "You're… Fray…?"

"Schnaufer?"

"Oh, me? Yeah. My name's Matilda Schnaufer!" She then offered her hand Brianna reached and shook it without question. "It's an honor to meet the legend, finally."

"Her granddaughter… so you're Heidemarie's descendant."

"Granddaughter of the former 4th Flying corp pilot, Heidemarie Schnaufer." Matilda giggled. "Yup! She told stories of you, and she's impressed!"

Brianna smiled after a while. "She admired my flying, which looked like Minna's." Then she shook the subject off her. "So, how is she?" And Matilda didn't answer… and then frowned.

"She… passed away a month ago."

The Karlslander-Liberion didn't see it coming and felt sympathy on Matilda. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Matilda chuckled. "Life just seems to be weighing down on everyone."

"Hey, when my parents told me not to break even if they would die one day… I did as they asked. It wasn't easy at first."

"That's easy for you to say. You don't age because you choose your own."

"True… but I'm wise enough to see past it."

"See… past it?"

"It's about setting something for one lifetime. If that amounts to a century, then I'm okay with doing so with it as long as I still live. Every lifetime makes a new aim. And right now, it's closely helping out Liberion, and the world from the dangers we make each time. The SSG is no joke… and they're a bigger issue than the organized attacks of the neuroi. I've gone through half a liftime now. I can't wait to see what other lifetimes would be for me. One day I'll die. And even if I don't see it yet, I'll just continue forward no matter what.

"And I bet in your lifetime, you have to choose to keep going. Your objectives will be of your own, of course. I've gone through that much just to tell it to many people even I choose not to."

"Then why did you?"

"It's because in their minds… they needed comforting. They all need to see things straight to survive." Brianna sighed. "Too many in my life say I'm a survivor. I didn't know how right they were. I just put that aside and take it to mind and not be proud of it while everyone else changes around me. So if I were you, be strong. Don't let the loss of everyone else drag you down. They would want you to keep going no matter how heavy your trials are. Get a mutilated leg, or an arm. It ain't that bad." And that last statement got Matilda creeped out. "It's a joke, for pete's sake!" Brianna chuckled and sighed. ' _I gotta make better jokes._ '

 _ ***An hour later…***_

Brianna thought that Matilda would feel insecure of her, but didn't, and they continued to get closer at each subject they get into while each sharing a history book that they tried verifying if it was accurate. They discussed their own views due to what they know, and Brianna had more of the accurate ones. Matilda only had the textbook definitions, but she excels more on the era starting from the 80's.

Then Matilda opened up about something else. "Bree… I want you to understand something… Your transfer… you know about it… right?"

"Yup. And my team's coming in it too. I felt rather a little surprised especially if the new CIA director wanted that."

"What can I say? He's a friend of Henley's."

"But a 'friend' wouldn't always do something THIS big. You think there's something odd?"

"I can't say."

"Well, I always see things out of place, so don't mind."

"Well I don't mind at all, Bree."

"Now you're getting used to that nickname." Brianna chuckled and Matilda laughed just before Josephine came in.

" _ **You two lovebirds better come with me. We got a transmission from Director Einstein.**_ " Jo said and Matilda reacted.

"Einstein? Don't you mean Zimmerman?"

"I don't care. I think he's got a big brain."

"Whatever."

"Enough." Brianna calmly said as an order. "Come on."

 _ ***In front of the screen…***_

The whole team along with Matilda gathered in front of the multi-screen area Kenneth is always at and Director Zimmerman, who looks like an Orussian was transmitting from Virginia. _**[So… Matilda finally made it, huh?]**_

"Yes, Sir." Matilda said.

 _ **[Then I guess we can finally get this over with then. I'm sure you all have heard Jun Xi's sudden move to fly to Xing.]**_ As he said it, some screens have been showing surveillance of him moving through places of Xingiet influence, then in an airport. _**[For now, we can't stop him and we have to eventually find out why the hell he's going there. But our first assumption was that he needed some more time, and decided to get to an SSG cell that we think is being operated in Xing, somewhere in Beijing. Right now, after losing places to the authorities for illegal gambling, money laundering and racketeering, he's being hunted. He thinks his only safe haven is the SSG. So… we'll have to start tailing him and see where he goes. IF he gets to the SSG cell, he won't show up on radar the next time, losing our jurisdiction to take this operation in our hands and cutting us off their presence by the government of Xing. Your job is to start tailing him, and… without an accident, route him to go somewhere else to detain him. The cell inside Beijing has wanted men from the SSG and we've already identified them. Every camera inside Beijing will be our eyes as most of them are connected to the internet servers of the government. Our job is to find that same cell as Xing is the closest to Fuso. They're still doing what they can to take out the railgun that Fuso has been constructing, which is our only defense against any other alien that comes in the planet… or maybe some meteorites that could cause a catastrophe in the planet. And because Jun Xi is moving to that same cell, you must tail him, and prevent him from getting to the cell. You'll be contacted by our mission review representative once we have the location of the cell. We've started tracking the location of it recently, and we're getting close. Your flight going to Xing will leave at 0400 hours at the Miami International. This may be your first mission as part of the CIA, but we're doing this on behalf… of the interests of both our allies and ours. Good luck and God Speed.]**_ The transmission then ended and the mission seemed to be tense. But somehow… it's what Josephine was looking for.

Matilda had mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness in her thoughts. Jun Xi was an illegal businessman but also involved in SSG's money laundering operations. But now that those operations were shut down, why is he going back to Xing? He was no longer a citizen there, but he knows how to speak Xingiet-Mandarin, which was enough for him to blend. This, she put up as a subject and immediately pulled in Brianna to tell her thoughts.

Somehow, Brianna was interested that she even cupped her chin. "I see what you're getting into. He'll probably be going in Xing as a tourist and not a citizen. Depending on how long he'll be staying in the country, he may start getting… Wait... he's got family there. If he'll be able to make contact with them, we'll easily be able to capture him without fail."

"But I'm sure he's paid some of the triads here to transfer to Xing for the protection of his families thanks to the raids we've launched."

"And they're probably gonna think that around the house would be a problem for anyone else who watches him. We'll probably be spotted way before we start the stakeout. Best we don't send a car but only one of us."

Matilda made a groan. "Looks like I have to go. I'm great with being low-profile." She even winked at this.

"Are you?"

"I've succeeded in numerous missions that required me to stay hidden from other sentries… or just guards whenever I may be. Sneaking's my talent."

Then Brianna wondered about something else. And it should be the obvious question if her grandmother was a witch. "Are you a witch?"

Matilda then shook her head. "Well… the truth is… I'm not."

"I see." Brianna said before she groaned. "If that's the case, you better prepare for either gunfights, close quarters combat or…" Matilda then attempted a chop move on Bree and the other dodged, only to topple Brianna off her feet and landed on her back, then was chopped with her hand only close to Bree's neck. Brianna saw this impressively rom Matilda. "Not bad."

"Thanks."

"Although…" Bree then kicked Matilda and the other didn't see that coming. Matilda was knocked off guard before she saw Brianna draw a gun, which Matilda kicked upwards. Bree then evaded a fan kick from Matilda, and they then started to use their hands. First, Matilda lead with her speed, then Bree countered one of them before throwing Matilda over, but landed gracefully on her hands, then flipped herself to be on her feet. "Nice, Matilda."

"And I thought it would be enough to be called impressive, or my moves for that. Hmph." Matilda snorted.

"Next time you talk like that, your boss will probably fire you." Bree then crossed her arms. "But it's a good thing you're under my supervision. Although it's my first time being in a mission set up by the CIA, and being in the agency, it isn't on my leadership. You know that, right?"

Matilda nodded. "Then I won't fail you, boss. This team's gonna be a success."

"Don't count on success and its result. Count on success and its next cause. It can make you both happy and determined to be ready for anything."

"It's like it doesn't end."

"Exactly. In this world, if life doesn't end for you yet, leave something to do on your next objective. If it does… leave something for someone to either take over for you, or for someone or something you're leaving for as one you love most."

"Cool."

"Now… where are you staying? You gotta at least get your sleep first."

"Well… thing is… I only got one bag."

And this got Brianna's eyebrow to go up. "Didn't get a hotel to stay in?"

Matilda frowned. ' _Should I tell her?_ ' But Brianna already knew what the frown meant. She then had an idea…

 _ ***0230 hours… next morning…***_

" _ **Hey, wake up.**_ " Matilda was stirred from Brianna's voice. She slowly opened her eyes and saw the room still somehow dark, but dimly lit up thanks to the city's lights up in the night. She then felt her internal coldness beneath the covers and realized that she was nude. But she's on a bed with someone. And that somehow got her to blush. "Feel good?" Brianna said as she cuddled on Matilda.

Then the Karlslander realized something. She drank something and it made her mind feel numb… "Hey. Did you make me take something?" She blushed even more just to feel someone's head touch her breasts. This made Matilda suspicious and she lifted the cover only to see Bree naked as well. "What the?"

"Surprised? Naughty girl."

"What the…? Boss? Why the hell are we nude?"

"Why do you think? You DID enjoy yourself, right?"

And got Matilda disgusted. She immediately pulled away and got off the bed. She was in a hotel that Brianna was staying in. It's a good thing that the lights were off, and she needed to get dressed for the mission. ' _Gosh. I never knew my boss could be such a dyke._ ' She walked straight to the bathroom with a towel in hand, not even sparing a glance at Bree.

That had the maroon-haired witch smile. ' _If you're not gonna respect me as someone older than you… then at least as a friend._ '

 _ ***Later…***_

Matilda was in a tub with her body submerged in bubbly soap. ' _Geez… why is it that Bree actually invite me in there? To have sex with me? Well she got it, and now I don't think my own boss would want to…_ ' Her thoughts were stopped as the curtains opened and she saw the 18 year old version of Brianna wrapped in a towel. "What… who are you?!"

"Hmph. And you didn't even recognize me." Bree said as she removed her towel revealing her nude body. She then joined Matilda in the tub.

"Wait… you can…"

"Change my age? Yeah."

"Ugh… you're my boss and you shouldn't even try to have an affair with me! It isn't right!"

"Wow. So that's how the strict Karlslander speaks when she's upset." Bree said before she hummed seductively.

"This is how I am, not my grandma or…"

"Hey. When did you ever find out that you aren't the first in your family?"

And this made Matilda stop and was shocked. "Wait… you've been…"

"I've had my wisdoms… but I've also tried doing some mistakes on the way too. I didn't know what I was thinking when I rape others. I'm sorry for doing this to you and you'd hate it. But… well…" Brianna paused to think if she had to say it or not.

"Well?" Matilda was waiting.

And the Karlslander-Liberion finally let it out. "Heidemarie and I shared a bed too like we did."

Matilda's eyes shot open. "No… way." And Brianna just shrugged in response. The white-haired girl just laid back on one side of the tub. "This is awfully a lot to take in."

"Do you know why I told you?"

"Well you didn't have to tell me after sex with me!"

"Yes, I did. I already saw that you were turned on the moment we got in the hotel."

This made her blush. "That's not…" Then Matilda thought back at what she felt when she entered the room. ' _Crap. I felt like I wanted to let my pleasures out._ ' She frowned in disappointment. "I'm a failure to my grandmother. How could I fall into temptation?"

"I'm not ashamed, though. Are you?"

Matilda looked straight at Bree's eyes with sincerity. With her intent, she crawled through the waters and eventually, Brianna had her back on the other side of the tub, and Matilda was close to her face. "You knew about it, didn't you?"

Brianna nodded. "I've always had a way with psychology, Matilda. I knew you were just denying what you really want."

"Then what you've made me take was…"

"A pinch of truth serum. It only took a small amount to get you talking and acting."

Then Matilda was able to remember. That night was one of the most mind-numbing moments she had. Together with the effects of the truth serum, she was able to really engage with an affair with Brianna, and even that good experience made her forget. It was like she was drunk and proud to have sex with Bree. "I… remember." Then she neared her face until her forehead to Brianna's. "It's a sin."

"No. Not just yours, but mine too." Brianna said with a smile before she made their lips touch. They then shared a kiss. When Bree felt Matilda's tongue, it was a passionate movement she felt. ' _She's good. Did she really take herself as my fan that she fell in lust?_ '

Then Matilda pulled away. "If you knew… then why are you feeling the same thing?"

"One thing was reminding myself about that time with Heidemarie felt good with you. The other… is about letting you understand that I'm open. I've only shown that last night. I know your mind's a little messy, but remember each moment… the heat… the hard atmosphere… the lust we both felt. I want both of us to have a good understanding. And the most important thing… I can humor anyone because I've experienced different walks of life, you know!"

"Really?"

"You're both a workmate, a friend… and you can be someone better too. I kinda need it too at times."

"Oh. So… we're 50% then?"

"Let's say we're a percent higher than that." Bree said and she kissed her… which she gladly returned to her.

 _ ***Brosman's office… SSG HQ, Nighttime…***_

The 18 year-old blonde girl had a steel mask over her mouth and nose, and so did an old white-haired math with an eyepatch on and a steel mask covering his mouth and nose like the girl's. Only the girl had a cape with her buttoned shirt and jacket while the old man had a simple button jacket with a red bandana on his head.

Brosman was then standing while supporting himself on his desk. "Sorry if I had to call you up like this." He had to look down at her and she just saw her narrow her eyes.

"You're… kidding. Right?" She said with some rage.

"I'm just saying. I rather have a little situation that needs discussing. Jun Xi's given up and is moving to Xing already. It seems the Xingiet Triad entities in New York, Washington State and Miami have been raided. And they found some promising evidence that it belonged to him. We believe he's trying to find sanctuary in Beijing's branch of the System Supremacists' Group and by hell… is he doing it wrong." After he explained, she just laughed, which intensified each time. It took only several moments before she stopped. "What's so funny, Destroyer?"

"Oh." Destroyer still said with a giggle. "Have the nerve to call me by my codename?"

"I'd rather call you that than 'boss' because it's really… inappropriate."

"Really…?" The girl just stared at his eyes before she punched him in the gut, putting him on his knees. "I'll tell you who's inappropriate. YOUR PEOPLE! It's not my fault anymore, Captain Christmas…"

"…Old Christmas…"

"Whatever! It's the incompetence of your people that led you to have this problem, and you're talking to me about this? Why do you even bother?"

"Because… the CIA are on to him too." Old Christmas said this and she somehow froze. He looked at her and he then stood up.

She slowly nodded. "Oh. You mean the agency is coming for him?"

"It's either to prevent him from getting to the SSG cell or… eliminate him."

Then Destroyer started to think. ' _And I'm sure they'll send that team._ ' She giggled. "This will be interesting. I want to guess: Team TRACKSTAR will be pursuing him?"

"How do you know?"

"Oh I know a Karlslander when I sense one. Besides… it's not the first time I've heard of the NSA team. I'm figuring that bastard Zimmerman decided to give them the opportunity to strike at us."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It could be good… or bad. It depends upon which side has the scale bought."

"Then you obviously know someone."

"And how do I know?"

"It's because you've been exploring. You're looking at every detail of your enemies."

The girl just laughed. "Not ALL of them! You're silly for a pirate, Mr. Brosman."

"There's always a good catch at every team you come across. That's why I got you the name Fraulein Destroyer. You seek them. You reach them. You make them bleed from the inside."

"Of course. However… I deal this as a lady… not as a barbarian. I hope you didn't forget it."

"Yeah, I didn't forget. But now that the team is coming for him… they'll have to prepare. They'll capture him for sure and…"

"…and they won't get anything." Destroyer said, letting him see that from beneath her mask, she's smiling.

"Then you've…"

"Installed it? Yes. For that, it'll be covered."

"You don't trust him?"

"It's not about a matter of trust, Mr. Brosman. Although he brings my money in and with progress, I just need to make sure loose ends aren't picked by anyone else. I'm tying them myself… and I'm making a knot for it too."

"Crazy."

"And it's my middle name." Destroyer giggled. "So. Is there anything else?"

"I wanna ask how your little project is going."

"Oh. THAT project."

 _ ***Unknown… somewhere underground…***_

A hidden laboratory was there, unknown to anyone but Fraulein Destroyer herself. One day, she will show it to Garry, and soon. Three capsules, connected with hoses for the oxygen supply. There were two girls with one 6 and 5 and one boy of 6 years, and each of them was contained in a capsule full of water. In standards, they're supposed to have they oxygen masks on… but one of them… wasn't using a mask, meaning the 6 year-old girl already mastered her time of using something else… her core. All of them were human in apperance, but they're partly neuroi… and they were bred to be as such. The hybrids were raised by none other than Fraulein Destroyer herself, and it wasn't easy.

 _ ***Back in his office…***_

"So you're saying… that these children were actually raised by you? So why do they grow?"

"For the first time, I was able to miniaturize a core years ago… and fix its properties. From then, it would follow the biological growth of the human in which the cpre is inserted. They're therefore hybrid neuroi… but only raised by my standards. What I do, however… is give them brainwashing just to test their curiosities… their psychological vulnerabilities… their strengths or weaknesses… their flexibility over situations… their mercy or coldness over a species according to earth's animals or alien types. I took all those years in raising them for that… and I am strict in doing so." Destroyer explained. "I suppose this is my first time to tell you."

Old Christmas groaned. "Maybe. You kinda gave me a clue a few months ago."

" _Raising my babies_ , you mean?"

"You remember."

"Yes… I suppose it was a clue."

"You're certainly forgetful…"

"Says the one who isn't, but uses a journal anyway." She and Brosman laughed together. "You've been a good friend from the start, Old Christmas. Don't change that."

"For so long, I don't know what to think now. Maybe there's reason to."

"Don't forget you served my father well…"

"…only to help my business grow."

"And all of your work was worth it. I suggest you move on from it and help in my cause."

He chuckled. "Hey… Heinz was a good man. And your way of taking over nations may not be that bad… except we need to start planning."

"You underestimate me. I have always been doing so from the start."

"Those organized attacks and this project of yours are your main agendas."

"Not exactly. The SSG is doing what they can to try gaining ground to bring back the old system of Liberion, the most powerful nation on the planet. It's nothing but a cover."

"But it's something worth fighting for. We gain Liberion… we gain the world, making it easier."

"And you know if it fails… a much more powerful plan works."

"Reveal that there's a leader in the organized attacks?"

"THAT way… the SSG is a separate issue to deal with. They don't know that we're working together to achieve our goals. That is why I supported your role to be the leader of the System Supremacists' Group."

"You're the boss, boss."

"Now you're starting to annoy me." She sighed before some knocks were heard from the other side of Brosman's door. "That's my cue. I'll be leaving the rest to you. I suppose if Jun Xi talks, you'll activate the package?"

"Of course."

"Then I take my leave. Take care, Old Christmas. I'll meet you again." She said before she walked backwards toward a wall and while she glowed green, she phased through the wall, disappearing from the room.

He groaned as he went to the door and opened it, finding Jin, one of his lieutenants. "Ah. You have a report?"

"Jun Xi's flying to Xing right now. Should we…?"

"No. The boss likes everything clean first. Don't shoot it down. Let it arrive in Xing and let the CIA catch up to them. You already know he's being hunted by the agency… so don't do anything. Jun Xi may be going to a cell, but all he'll reach is a dead end. Rally some men, however. Give the agency guys a warm welcome."

"You got it." Jin said with a smile on his face and went away, leaving Old Christmas to deal with other matters as he closed the office door, locking it to be sure his privacy is kept intact…


	4. The Xingiet Issue (Part 2)

**Sorry it took so long! Goodness... having a vacation was a blast! :) The simple pool and building lifestyle was something, but I'm going to the beach soon! :) So don't worry! The summer here in our country ain't over and I'll be enjoying it nonetheless.**

* * *

 **Responses to reviews so far:**

 **To Aviat0r:**

 _ **Thanks for the review and I just saw your last two chapters. In the case of the APOLLO system... I put up the role of setting the character of its creator in 2015, but you'll be surprised of the first information of his origin.**_

 **And to my readers... you'll recognize a canon character in this chapter that you'll find interesting! This character has gone into the future STRAIGHT from the neuroi war, before getting to this year to try stopping the creator of APOLLO. Who is the character? Well... READ IT TO KNOW! :)**

On to: "The Xingiet Issue (Part 2)"

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 3**_

"The Xingiet Issue (Part 2)"

 _ ***Flashback…***_

 _ ***Blue Neuroi Vessel: Typhoon… Bridge… Mid-1958…***_

Camila had been walking back and forth just waiting for Serena to come back… but all she's getting is a nervous feeling. Never has she seen something like what she's actually experienced ever since The Purge … a spike detection on what seemed to be the Red Neuroi… and this worried her. Serena was supposed to get back to Camila to tell her experience of the matter, because the detection was somewhere northward. They were in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean…

Finally, Serena was able to make a call.

 _ **[Camila, it's Serena.]**_

 _ **Finally. Anyway, what did you get?**_

 _ **[I think it's best I show you, Camila. You're gonna be stunned by it, I think.]**_

 _ ***5 minutes later…***_

Serena was already in the bridge by then, carrying her sheath for the Gold Lightning Katana. As much as there was still a living Sakamoto, she chose to honor their name by being around as 'Savior Serena.'

Camila had her eyes widened at the sight of the photos that Serena took overhead. There were earth-born neuroi born out of the ocean. "It… doesn't… make sense. These… are obviously like the Red Neuroi but…" She cupped her chin at something else that she noticed.

Then Serena saw the curious look from Camila. "Camz?"

"They're… not in formation. Look." Camila urged Serena to get closer to look at the photos. Even Savior Serena noticed this as well… and it was odd. "They're supposed to be in formation."

"And they're supposed to be attacking something… or even a place like Europe or Liberion… but they're just… split. It's like… they're wild."

"Yeah. It seems we're looking at some brainless Red Neuroi."

"Brainless?"

"I don't mean they're completely zero on their Inteliigence Quotients… but actually low. They have basics as to how they move or make sounds with whining, but… right here… they're just showing daily life and basic stuff. Nothing more."

"I see."

"Whatever this may mean…" Camila didn't finish as she heard another spike alert and ran to the console where the world radar is. She looked at where the spike was and it was somewhere near Xing. "I need to contact Elder Drel." She then pressed a few buttons and finally, Drel was on the other line. "Elder Drel… have you been detecting…"

 _ **[We have, Camila. And somehow it's going to spread.]**_

 _ **What do you mean?**_

 _ **[Due to the help of some ancient witch teachers we've come across, we have a bit of a problem. Ever since The Purge when Rosaimus injected the essence of the Red Neuroi into Earth's magic draw points… power increased from those because of his rule and control over all Red Neuroi, including the spawned neuroi species spawning from Earth. We've seen its power completely drop down and even cut itself off the magic points… but we don't know why the heck the power Is suddenly coming back on those same draw points.]**_

 _ **Can't site examples?**_

 _ **[I can't. I'm sorry if I can't be any of help. This is the first time we've seen this. Magic flow may be compared to energy that we know… but resurrection of certain energies aren't proven yet. Once the energy its cut off its host, it will immediately start dissolving. But this... it is cause by something else. We'll see what we can do in finding out. In two years, I'm afraid... we cannot last here. You know that this will mean that some of the humans will hate us. Although our co-existence was promised to us, we must not let their progress be hindered.]**_

Camila groaned for the fact that the Blue Neuroi will leave whatever they've established. After 12 long years, Elder Drel announced it. Two years later, all of them would have to leave and humanity must make its own history from then on.

After Serena heard that Camila cut the transmission from her conversation. "Camz... it's okay. You guys helped us from the beginning after all. We'll be fine."

Camila crossed her arms. "I'm afraid not. Something tells me that things will go wrong."

"Some of us know that."

"By SOME you mean you and Mio? The remnants of the 501st have started to think about the future instead of the present. It's been so long that they've been wishing to have their childhoods or teenage years restored. By then, they won't be able to see that the neuroi are going to be threats in the future. Magic spawn points are no joke. The flow of it has always survived through the millions of years that this planet has lived. Now that it's abused... your race will start suffering for sure. But if it doesn't remain a serious problem while we're still here... then we can be peaceful before we leave."

Serena smiled. "Then let's make some problems go away then."

"Agreed." Camila replied before both of them went back to studying the photos and the charts they held about the magic spawn points used to summon neuroi. ' _I hope what we're doing now until the end is worth it._ '

 _ ***End of Flashback...***_

 _ ***30**_ _ **th**_ _ **of August, 2015... Kyzyl... Tuva Republic, Orussia...***_

Although Kyzyl was just a simple city and the center of Asiect, it was also a city in which some of the Orussian Systems Preservists' Group have always been meeting to discuss matters related to their country... and to what their allies' issues have been. One of the issues addressed was that the SSG had been making a lot of serious moves to almost expose them. It even involved them stealing warheads from Arab Saudi. But that was only the beginning of things. Soon, they were starting to recruit more men into joining. The preservists' don't even know who their benefactor is... but the preservists have their own benefactor: The Orussian Prime Minister Micheli Koslov.

After the Prime Minister's move to secure peace in Europe after certain wars were halted, he was given a medal symbolizing peace which was actually from Karlsland. He was a president back then. But after he retired from his presidency, he remained a Prime Minister... making him a favorite target for the SSG, which he didn't mind at all. His allegiance to his country was just as important as his alliance with the Liberion government. He even started giving intelligence of their activities to the trusted CIA, which made more of a friendship with President Grant more than ever. However... he was only given the resources and not the assistance of the Liberions, which suited him and the rest of the preservists group fine.

The Prime Minister arrived in Kyzyl one high afternoon after he heard there were strange whines starting a week ago. It concerned his men inside Kyzyl, and he decided to take a look at it himself. The more concerning part... is that the whining sound got louder each day... and citizens were even asked to evacuate from the middle of the city. Why? Because a red rune marking has appeared in the middle of town.

Lt. Nikolai, together Sgt. Kamarov from the Orussian military came to take a look at the scene arriving with three military recon cars and most of them armed with AN-94's. The scene was at an intersection of the where there are hardware stores and convenience stores around it. Nikolai gather his troops and even a science team to check it out. He then received a phone call from his cell phone and answered.

 _ **[Comrade Nikolai.]**_

 _ **Minister Koslov? I heard you were supposed to be at Moscow.**_

 _ **[I understand. But this matter requires more attention. I pulled strings just to get here to take a look at the rune.]**_

 _ **I suggest you don't get near the area. The rune keeps glowing brighter each time.**_

 _ **[Of course. You and your men do what you can to secure the area first. Whatever that rune is doing there, could actually mean something significant will happen.]**_

 _ **The science team recently arrived to scan the rune. They're getting some Ion readings.**_

 _ **[Ions, you say?]**_

 _ **The same kind of material we use to power up some shields to combat against neuroi.**_

 _ **[I see. So this is neuroi-related?]**_

 _ **I'm afraid so.**_

 _ **[Then we have to start calling anyone we still know who could (static)...]**_ But somehow, Koslov's signal was being jammed and Nikolai could only hear static.

' _This is bullshit. Why now?_ ' "Comrade Kamarov... use your earpieces to contact HQ. We're having signal problems."

The sergeant kept working on his communications as he tried raising anyone on the radio. He even made an effort to manually adjust his radio where his earpiece was connected to but... "No good, comrade! I can't get anything! There's something jamming the frequency!"

"Gyaran! Run back to the car and get some anti-jam transponders. We need to set it up around the perimeter to contact anyone with our radio."

"Da!" Gyaran said before he started running to a recon car. It was a GAZ-2975 Tigr, which was good for storing some minor equipment and small-arms weapons. The variant they brought with them can house 8 men inside, and there were three cars of them around the perimeter.

While Nikolai was waiting for Gyaran to come back, Sgt. Kamarov watched as the scientists were putting some energy transponders to identify the rune's properties. ' _This is some surreal material I'm seeing. Although I believe aliens are around to take us down... magic is not one of my fortes in analyzing._ ' After he finished that thought, he heard some scientists speak as if there were hard readings coming from their transponders. Then he heard that the readings were off the charts just before one of the transponders sparked up due to the scanning overload. It was a small electric discharge that disabled it. "What happened?!" He asked one of the scientists.

"I don't know! That transponder went haywire and..." He didn't finish it when another transponder then blew up from an electrical discharge. "The ion is overloading! Get clear!" And soon, his team recovered the remaining transponder before they ran to safety. Soon, the rune glowed bright red. "My... god." He muttered to himself.

Gyaran just came running with the anti-jam transponder equipment when his eyes were focused on the rune making him stop with a feeling of awe. "What... is that?"

Nikolai and Kamarov only looked at the rune as it glowed brighter. The lieutenant decided to give orders. "Men... get back! It's glowing brighter, so shield your eyes! Stand by! Benin... set up a sniper position on THAT building!"

"Da!" Benin replied as he ran towards the storage building before he kicked and knocked down the door before he went in. With his AN-94 in front and his KSVK Anti-Material rifle at his back, he searched for the stairs and then climbed it. When he got to the second floor, he immediately went to a window spot in which only his upper body and his arms can be exposed, and has a view of the scene where the rune should be. He then put down the stand of his KSVK just by the window spot and made sure his aim toward the rune was steadied. He slowly started to refocus his aim from the scope of it as the glow was brighter than ever.

"Men! Take positions behind the cars! Now!" Nikolai shouted while behind the lead car. Kamarov and the rest of his men including Gyaran only looked at the sight that the rune glowed brighter. Soon... the rune was no longer seen a much brighter red glow came when several humanoid shapes were made. "Prepare yourselves!" But just as he said it, a short beam projectile passed him only by a mere inch, and some more came toward them as it hit their cars. One of the soldiers was hit at his forehead killing him instantly. "RETURN FIRE!" Nikolai shouted as he loosed rounds from his AN-94 with the others following his lead. Soon, the bright glow slowly disappeared and the men finally saw neuroi humanoid infantry running and shooting at them with blasters at hand. They took cover behind walls as they exchanged projectiles with the Orussian military.

 _ ***Orussian airspace...***_

Two Su-37 aircraft have been patrolling the Orussian airspace and they detected something on their radar.

 _ **Patrol Two to Patrol One. Do you have readings for unidentified bogeys?**_

 _ **[Affirmative, three readings at our 3 o'clock! Let's handle this and intercept them!]**_ The flight leader said before they banked right and identified there were neuroi units coming in. _**[Neuroi sonics! Tower... this is Patrol One! We have identified some neuroi sonics in our airspace! What are your orders?]**_

 _ **[Roger, Patrol One. Kyzyl is currently under ground attack by an unknown enemy. Verify... are the aircraft heading southwest?]**_

 _ **[Affirmative, tower.]**_

 _ **[Patrol One and Two, you are cleared to engage the enemy.]**_

 _ **[Roger, Tower! Patrol Two, be as a wingman and cover me. I'll engage and you will do the same. We're eliminating these bastards and send them to hell!]**_ The flight leader said before he engaged the afterburners to accelerate his SU-37, with the other doing the same. _**[I have tone! Bird is flying!]**_ He shouted as he released a stinger missile before he used his machine guns when he got close. The missiles hit one of the neuroi and its hide was damaged and exposed the core. With the flight leader's machine guns, he aimed and gave a short burst at the core before the neuroi was shattered.

 _ **I have tone! Fox Two!**_ Patrol two's missiles was launched and was primed against another sonic neuroi. The explosion then made an opening and the pilot discovered something. _**Negative on the core! It's mobile!**_ He said before he fired the machine guns at the mobile-core neuroi. It was too late as the hide regenerated faster. _**I have tone...**_

 _ **[CHECK YOUR SIX!]**_ The flight leader's warning came too late as a beam reached the wingman's plane past the afterburners and the cockpit from behind. Immediately, the plane was torn into half and exploded. _**[Tower... I lost Patrol Two with NO CHUTE!]**_

 _ **[Patrol two, this is Air Hunter! I'm responding!]**_ A 19 year-old Orussian responded. _**[I'm coming in hot from behind the neuroi now! Opening fire!]**_

An Orussian witch with her striker unit alternate of the SU-37 was flying right behind two more neuroi sonics holding a PKP MG while she finally opened fired against one of the neuroi. Her silver Spetznaz spandex uniform was tight but got used to it while it was very strong against the harshest climate elements. Her curly brown mid-back lengthened hair followed the wind as she kept accelerating against the neuroi. Her familiar is the Siberian Tiger.

Bullets were loosed from her machinegun and the neuroi responded by speeding up. ' _Damn it... they're after the other SU!_ '

 _ **[Patrol One to any unit! I got a fast tail and... GYAAHH!]**_ She saw the patrol flight leader's SU was hit with a strong beam to its left afterburner and left wing, making his aircraft out of control. _**[Mayday! I lost control! Left wing's cut off and... (static)]**_ She only saw one of the pursuing neuroi hit the craft with beam, thus hitting its nose and cockpit, leaving no mercy as the aircraft exploded.

She widened her eyes as it was the first time she saw the neuroi were THAT barbaric. ' _They're... barbarians, looking for blood._ ' She thought while two neuroi turned while in high speed to intercept her. She then hovered as her rage was greater. "You want blood... I'll give it to you!" She said as she aimed her PKP towards her opponents, letting the other sonics fly to Kyzyl, using the intercepting neuroi as a distraction.

 _ ***South Kyzyl... gun store...***_

During the attack, Koslov was forced to come with Yuri as both of them had to find any sort of protection that is currently attacking the city: Neuroi humanoid infantry, which rather sounded too much to handle. And so, Yuri had an idea and thought of getting more weapons than use just his Five-Seven to protect Koslov.

Yuri, who was wearing a suit and tie like Koslov, was able to load himself an old AK-74, which was still allowed on those parts of the country. ' _I never knew they would still sell something that's not allowed in Moscow._ ' "I expected Kyzil would make some example, but this will work already." He looked over Koslov, panting from the running. "Sir?"

Koslov waved his hand to stop Yuri. "I'm fine. I'm not one to handle weapons like yours or just a simple handgun."

"Sir, you're fully aware that the whole city's now in a blackout situation. We don't have any means to communicate because I may have an idea as to what aliens there are jamming our comms. And if it were true... it may start dragging itself all the way to the center just to desolate Kyzyl. I call them tower units. They disperse jamming foil and it seems to be working. We've no way of contacting even using our radio. Your cell phone's not an option as well."

"Then what do we do from here?"

"Pray that any jet would shoot down those towers before they cause more damage. But my job's to get you to safety, Prime Minister."

 _ **[(static)...Nikolai to any...(static)]**_ Yuri was clearly hearing Nikolai's voice coming from his comms earpiece. Then it was clearer. _**[This is Nikolai! Anyone hearing me on this transmission?]**_

Yuri was surprised. ' _Did they just use a anti-jam transponder?_ ' _**Nikolai... it's Yuri.**_

 _ **[Yuri?! Where the hell are you?!]**_

 _ **I'm with the Prime Minister now. I'm holding here at a gun store somewhere south of the city. I heard you checked out the middle of it. Can you get here?**_

 _ **[That will prove rather difficult considering our mode of transport is gone. We'll be on foot on to your position so stick tight.]**_

 _ **Roger.**_

 _ **[Do not engage and let anyone know of your presence. That's the best you can do for now until we get there.]**_

 _ **Da. I'll keep quiet and keep the Prime Minister out of trouble. Just hurry. Out.**_ Yuri then looked at Koslov. "Sir, we're gonna have to find a better hiding spot. We'll have to make sure we're not spotted."

"Okay…" Koslov simply said before he was helped to another spot that seemed inconspicuous to the neuroi infantry.

 _ ***Somewhere in the city…***_

Nikolai and Kamarov's teams were on foot and were cautious more than ever. They had no other communciation means except through local radio thanks to the anti-jam transponders that Gyaran had saved. It's only a good thing they haven't encountered any neuroi infantry while they were travelling on foot towards Yuri's position for the last 10 minutes…

That changed when they've gone through a complex proper near a hotel. Some neuroi infantry were riding a neurified truck, and Nikolai only seemed to think of hiding, but didn't have any more time. The truck was heading their way. ' _Shit!_ ' "CONTACT! Take cover!" He shouted as he and his men took cover at some alleys before they saw beams coming at them. They returned fire as they saw the humanoid infantry disembark the neurified truck. "Kamarov… H-E's… NOW!"

Sgt. Kamarov just got in cover before he took a grenade and pulled its pin… then waited until it was time, until it took 2 and a half seconds later before he shouted out he was throwing before he did. The grenade was thrown then landed and rolled under the neurified truck before it exploded. The neurified truck lost its neuroi skin as it exploded because the neurification came remotely from one of the infantry… who was already vaporized by the high-explosive and the truck's destruction along with the others. Nikolai's men only saw white flakes around the area. "Clear!" Kamarov shouted and pointed his weapon at the direction where the truck came from. He decided to contact Yuri.

 _ **Yuri… it's Kamarov. Where are you?**_

 _ **[Still staying put… no changes except a neurified truck passed by.]**_

 _ **Shit. It looks it's the same one we took out. This time, we'll be the attention of whatever attacked this truck.**_

 _ **[Then why the hell did you…?]**_

 _ **[We had no choice.]**_ Nikolai butted in. _ **[They already spotted us the time it made a turn towards our direction. I'm sure they've already called in other units like they are, or probably air support.]**_

 _ **[I wouldn't worry about that. Underground tower neuroi have started to move towards our direction. It may be far, but if it doesn't change direction, we'll be right along its line of sight and will make the building fall down on us. Think you could hurry?]**_

 _ **[We can try. Stick tight. Out.]**_ Nikolai ended the transmission and then checked on his teammates. Gyaran was not lucky as he was hit square at his torso and chest where his heart was. ' _Damn. They got the lad._ ' "Keep your eyes open and move forward. We've got to get the Prime Minister to safety!"

 _ **7 minutes later…**_

With no other threats as they ran, they figured that only a few infantry were sent to take out buildings, or civilians in that matter. They kept heading south until they were sure they were near. Nikolai remembered that part of Kyzyl where a local gun store can be seen. And finally, just between a liquor store and an antique shop along with residential houses, the gun store was located. There were cars on the road as they crossed to the other side, but Nikolai stopped all of his men in suspicion before they took cover at some cars. Kamarov then took cover with Nikolai near a van just near the gun shop. "Comrade Nikolai, what are you doing?"

"It's too quiet. Something's not right." Nikolai whispered before he felt the ground shake a little. ' _Oh… no._ ' He thought as he knew it was all too familiar. "Shit… it's under us." Before he spoke further, the cement just near them bursted as an object protruded and extended from underground. "Oh… shit… TOWER NEUROI… RUN!" Nikolai shouted as he told his men to run from the tower neuroi. When the tower neuroi focused its sight on the men running past cars on the extended road, its main sight on its head glowed red before it heated up to fire a beam.

 _ **[For a unit leader, you're stupid!]**_ Air hunter said on the comms before bullets hit the tower neuroi's head. The Su-37 witch flew in and fired with her PKP MG at the head of the tower neuroi before she saw beams on to her and blocked them. Then she passed by the head when Nikolai looked at the sight, then telling his men to take cover at the cars to take themselves out of sight. _**[Nikolai, are you alright?!]**_

 _ **What the hell took you so long? And why did you call me stupid?**_

 _ **[Sorry about that… but this unit can't change its sights if whatever was targeted is directly below its head sights. It's okay if you get near it, as long as you don't get farther from where it is before it gets a clear aim at you.]**_

 _ **I see. We'll make a break for Koslov.**_

 _ **[Let me finish this bastard first!]**_

Air hunter kept on firing until she eventually exposed the core after the fast regenerating. ' _It looks like my efforts have paid off!_ ' She laughed as she fired at the core and it was finally shattered. The tower neuroi itself is an easy opponent against any flying witch as it can't always fly or pursue the witch evading every beam it can throw. Later... she looked down and saw the Orussian soldiers storm the gun store and finally secure Koslov. She then looked around to see if any more neuroi show up.

 _ **[Koslov is secured.]**_ Nikolai reported.

 _ **It's best you all hurry up. There are still sonic neuroi that haven't found me, but I can't leave you here without any air support.**_

 _ **[Then give us some cover while we find a car for us. We can't risk having Koslov killed.]**_

 _ **Is it for the preservists' or is it for politics?**_

 _ **[Both.]**_

 _ **Good enough.**_

 _ **[Zyuganov, thank you.]**_

 _ **Please.**_ She then giggled. _**Call me Frederica.**_

 _ **[Alright then, cover us.]**_

 _ **You got it.**_ She replied as she saw the men running on the road, careful as they scanned for neuroi infantry. ' _It looks like it isn't over yet._ ' She thought as her determination rises to finish what she started...

 _ ***Conversation between Nikolai and Price...***_

 _ **[That's exactly what I told you. That rune appeared in the middle of Kyzyl.]**_

 _ **[I see.]**_ Price answered with a Britannian accent. _**[And the pictures you sent was the rune marking?]**_

 _ **[I'm not too happy still with that rune around Kyzyl. It's already being cleared out. But whatever it is... it transported those neuroi sentries.]**_

 _ **[It's obvious it's not a coincidence considering that the town's half-desolated.]**_

 _ **[What about your end?]**_

 _ **[Still trying to find Supremacist cells. They're hard to crack. The only source I got is from the Agency. Nothing much to go for except for their intel. However... knowing that hacker is on the loose...]**_

 _ **[Hacker?]**_

 _ **[He calls himself Project Mercury. I don't know what the name is. He's one of the world's most feared hackers and it seems he found his way into the SSG by getting attention. Obviously, the hard part is cracking in IP address every time he's traced. He knows his way around areas with cameras... electronics... databanks... If he even touches a computer... he could turn any electronic device against us as long as he's got a network uplink.]**_

 _ **[Isn't that the man who unleashed that Apollo antivirus scam?]**_

 _ **[It's more than a scam. It hacked into multiple bank accounts. He immediately got the cash... but he's being tracked by the agencies. They don't like him. The 141 can't even make it simple unless the intel we get is solid. Nikolai... keep your eye on Orussia. I don't think that attack was just a random one.]**_

 _ **[I see. We got Koslov... while I heard you were going to pursue a Xingiet fellow.]**_

 _ **[Jun Xi. He's arriving in Xing as we speak. However... another team's gonna get to him. The real job's simple: track down the SSG cell in Beijing. The government of Xing put this off the papers and allowed us the operation.]**_

 _ **[You're going to secure the cell?]**_

 _ **[Everyone inside is expendable. That's my share. Now tell me the rest of yours.]**_

 _ **[So far, there's nothing much on our end. Vorshevsky's worried about the attack he even issued martial law on the whole south of Orussia. Every now and then, neuroi surveillance drones are spotted, but we take them out each detection anyway.]**_

 _ **[Good. Don't let them gain any eyes on you. I have to go. I'm leaving soon.]**_

 _ ***The Five Dragons Casino... Beijing, Xing... October 23, 2015... 2150 hours...***_

Jun Xi was leaving the casino and a pair of binocular eyes were looking at him. Brianna was in a Mercedes Benz with Josephine as the driver. "There you are."

Jo then eyed the direction of the binoculars and it seems that Jun Xi was catching a taxi. "Doesn't he drive a car?"

"No. He left it back at the hotel. He didn't want to be followed while driving a car. Bright man."

"That means he knows we're following him?"

"He knows... but he doesn't know it's us, specifically." Brianna said as she saw the taxi Jun Xi embarked in leaving the parking space. Josephine immediately started the car. "We better be sure it's a solid hit." She said before Jo started to leave and drive to follow the target. Bree then used her earpiece communicator.

 _ **Kenneth, online?**_

 _ **[Yup. Grid's ours and it's running. And that tracker you put in his jacket is crystal clear on my grid map. You're good at it.]**_

 _ **For a long time, Ken. Understand something: Once you slide something in... don't let them know what you did or you're caught red-handed.**_

 _ **[Is that a quote?]**_

 _ **No. It's an advice. You're terrible at it.**_

 _ **[Meanie.]**_

 _ **Just put a smile on what I said. At least you could compliment me for it.**_

 _ **[NOW you're looking for a compliment? Whatever.]**_

 _ **Anyway, start tracking the possible routes he could take. If it's near that SSG cell location the agency provided us, we'll jump him.**_

 _ **[Sure thing. By the way... they told me a taskforce is coming in to secure the place.]**_

 _ **I heard. John Price isn't a joke. During the 90's... while he was still SAS, he had to stop a compacted nuke missile exchange by taking out a target in Orussia, which was then having economical problems.**_

 _ **[You know I could have just searched that. Why are you telling me?]**_

 _ **I'm only telling you because you don't know his reaction to how he's executed the man. The left arm flew off.**_

 _ **[A berett 50 cal was what's used.]**_

 _ **And he almost felt sick the first time he's seen so much blood through the scope.**_

 _ **[Wait... it isn't in the profile.]**_

 _ **It isn't. I spoke to him myself.**_ Bree said as she kept her eyes forward and looked at the taxi. _**He's about to leave the city limits. Something's up.**_

 _ **[Her mother's residence is just off the highway. He'll be getting to a dirt path just to see her.]**_

 _ **So he isn't getting there yet.**_ Bree said as she started thinking of possible reasons for visiting his mother. ' _Could Jun Xi actually be scared of everyone else finding out that he screwed up badly he decided to spill the beans?_ '

 _ **[Wait a minute... His mother is not at home.]**_

 _ **What?**_

 _ **[And he's making a call. I'll let you listen to it...]**_ Kenneth said as Bree was hearing the call. The details were about the Jun Xi going to her house to pick up a few things. The mother was already informed that he returned. Jun Xi made a reason, however, that he had some things to take care for the night before he could join her there again. He'll be having a brief time in the house and she might find the house empty when he's there. Then he hanged up. _**[That's about it. Whatever he's gonna pick up, it'll be either important to him, or important to the SSG.]**_

 _ **Get me the director right away. Whatever he's gonna do, we may need to interrogate him there and then to get the info we need.**_

 _ **[I don't think it's needed. Remember the 141 taking care of the cell?]**_

 _ **That's not just the info we need. I'll make him talk for that, of course.**_

 _ **[Well you've got your stuff and…]**_ Kenneth then paused and spoke again. _**[I just detected a radar scramble. I don't know where, but you better be careful.]**_

 _ **Impossible. Only military hardware could hide units with radar scramble.**_

 _ **[Maybe. Whatever you'll do now, there's no turning back. I can't provide a realtime visual at this point until it's too late.]**_

 _ **It's alright.**_ Then Brianna felt the car stop when they saw the taxi finally arrived at the house. The house was rather grand… and somehow, off. It wasn't the usual Xing cultured house, and this had Bree suspicious. _**Are you sure about the house?**_

 _ **[Yeah. Ling Xi lives in that house. She's just out buying stuff from the market due to shortage. That's what I've heard from the phone call.]**_

 _ **Okay. Just before they ambush us… let's make this fast…**_

 _ ***Somewhere in Beijing city limits… System Supremacists' Group cell…***_

"Move!" Price, who was in a balaclava like the rest of his men were moving in with submachine guns to secure the SSG cell and look for any more intelligence. The body count was already 23 while they were exploring the first floor, second floor and basement.

But when they got to the 2nd basement via the cargo elevator…

"Price… the terminal…" One of his men said as they looked around the empty room, only finding a computer unit in the middle. "There's nothing here but the terminal."

Then the captain groaned. "It's obvious, isn't it?"

" _ **There's no sense of searching the place.**_ " A girl's voice came from the terminal. Price figured it has speakers. For the meantime, it was only sending audio. " _ **I had a feeling this place was to be stormed.**_ " She giggled.

"Who are you?"

" _ **Fraulein Destroyer… good captain. And don't worry. You and your men won't be harmed… but I'm warning you now: Stay out of our way.**_ "

"Are you SSG?"

" _ **I'm simply the one who pulls the strings. There's an actual leader to the group, and I control him.**_ "

"You're strange for being the benefactor."

" _ **Is it because I'm too young for the job?**_ "

"…because you're insane. If you're continuing to support the SSG, why don't you show yourself?"

" _ **That would ruin the fun.**_ "

"You think this IS A GAME?!" Price shouted. "Whoever you are… we'll find you… track you… kill you…"

" _ **You have nerve. And I thought you wouldn't snap at a young girl?**_ "

"I'm not seeing a young girl over the other line but someone who just wants to destroy everyone's way of living. Tell me something: Why?"

" _ **Because this world doesn't deserve humanity as a whole. It should be ruled like how it was done in the past. And YOU… are one of those who should be given disciplinary action by insubordination.**_ "

Price found that answer more than what he expected. ' _Is she really serious in this? If she's talking about humanity… is it possible…?_ ' He stopped that thought knowing she was still waiting for a response. "So you wanna begin? Fine. I defy you."

" _ **That's the way. Then I'll have no problem killing your other team, Price. Hold your breath.**_ " Destroyer laughed before the transmission was cut. The terminal exploded and he was relieved his team including himself was at a safe distance.

And Price had a new problem: The other team was gonna be executed. "Let's go, let's go!"

They got back on the ground floor and got out of the cell before they heard a series of explosions from inside. They got away from the entrance and the building, along with the entrance was later engulfed in flames with the explosion swallowing the whole establishment. With instinct, Price immediately got in one of the two SUV's they brought in. "Get in! We've got to get to her ASAP!" And as soon as his men started the engines, it revved before the two SUV's left the area, only to be pursued by several motorbikes with their drivers armed with SMG's. They eventually fired at them. "Tannen!"

"On it, sir!" Tannen replied before he smashed the window open and put out his MP5k SMG and returned fire, followed by his two teammates. One of the bikers got hit and immediately lost control before being thrown off the bike. "Got one! Sir… take a hard left at the intersection! We can lose them in the tight alleys!" He advised Price and the captain followed the suggestion. At the intersection where cars were travelling, he made a tight left and the other SUV behind his followed, and they eventually found they were going against oncoming traffic.

The bikes still followed and this made Price pissed off. "They're still on our tail! Tannen… keep at it!" He ordered Tannen and the other kept firing with his two teammates. Soon, the other SUV behind them had a problem. One of their teammates were killed in the shootout.

"Reyes is down!" Tannen said before he made a headshot on one of the bikers, throwing him off the bike taking another biker as an accident. "Sir…?" He said before he saw the tight alleyway and the SUV finally entered through there with the other SUV following. "We got incoming behind us." Tannen reported before the other SUV just exploded. "Shit! One of them was carrying a launcher!"

Price knew it was getting too tense. With his team missing half of his team, he knew he had to call for reinforcements.

 _ **Baseplate… this is Bravo Six! We're going to need immediate assistance. How copy on our air support?!**_

 _ **[Bravo Six… JH-Delta air support is ETA at 2 minutes. Informative: We've got another strike made by a group unknown personnel somewhere off city limits. Main agency team has just been ambushed and now under attack.]**_

 _ **Copy!**_ He said just before he drove the SUV out of the alley and into the main road again, no longer in oncoming traffic, but a two-way flow, which he followed with his direction. "Tannen, how many after us?"

"Sir… I'm seeing two… no five of them! One of them has an RPG-7!"

Price was getting a little uncomfortable. "Tannen, shoot that launcher now!"

"He's too far behind, damn it!" Tannen shouted as he loosed rounds against the other bikers, more evasive than ever. They returned fire and he took cover. "Son of a… steady yourselves, you shits!" He then reloaded his MP5K…

Later… some sirens from police cars responded against the motorbikes behind them and Price knew the police were worked up by the Beijing officials of the government. "We got at least something to buy us time." He muttered before he contacted Baseplate.

 _ **Baseplate, this is Bravo Six! Any second later won't be an option! We've got to get to the other team, so we need our ass clear! Where the hell is our poppet?!**_

 _ **[Price… Bishop here… AND COMING IN HOT!]**_ A teenage witch said before she appeared in front of price while she sped past them with her strikers and her M4A1 assault rifle. Price then heard gunfire from her and the return fire of the bikers, with one of them killed by her. _**[One of them is down and… Whoa!]**_ She exclaimed before an explosion was heard. Price was worried.

 _ **Poppet?! What is your status?! Are you there?**_

 _ **[I almost got hit by an RPG. There are two of them in one bike with the passenger carrying the launcher. They're not getting away from me.]**_ She said before Tannen spotted her flying low.

"Sir… she just appeared at our six." Tannen reported before he saw rounds coming from her M4A1 to the biker and passenger with the RPG-7, later shot and with their bike out of control. "Launcher is down!"

"Good. We need to clear the rest of them." Price advised.

 _ **JH-Delta, you know what to do.**_

 _ **[Way ahead of you, Price. I'll catch up when it's done.]**_ Bishop then fired at the bikers and Price was getting some distance from them. _**[They're easy pickings after all.]**_ She said as she loosed several more rounds at the last biker, sending his bike and himself in a fiery inferno from a gas leak as cause of ignition. _**[Looks like that's all of them. Still doubting me, old man?]**_

 _ **Not if you do well. We're going to help them so get there first, poppet. I don't want any more casualties on our side.**_

 _ ***Brianna's team… decoy house…***_

Jun Xi's withered body lays on the kitchen table as nothing else from its brain existed thanks to the SSG good for covering up their own tracks with the nanotech they own. Indeed, they didn't just make their own subordinate die… but the nanotech also 'ate up' whatever was behind the skin of his whole head.

Brianna was using the thick kitchen counter as cover along with Josephine. Both of them were pissed to find themselves in an ambush set up by the SSG. Worse… their enemies have shield penetration weapons that can pierce a witch's shield easily with laser projectiles. This didn't make Brianna feel comfortable at all.

Josephine kept returning fire on her enemies with her G3 she recently found. "We're pinned, Bree!"

"WELL NO SHIT!" Brianna shouted as she used her P-90 for supressing fire. She even killed one of the men before taking cover again. "How the hell didn't we see this coming?!"

"We've got to find another way out of this! Matilda's en route already."

 _ ***Price and his team…***_

"So how did you end up in the city limits and NOT with the two of them?" Price asked Matilda who was at the back of the SUV.

"Sorry, sir. It's rather embarassing of me to really be like this. Truth is… I was getting information about the SSG cell when I heard something went wrong with Brianna's op with Jo. I heard too late the SSG cell here was a decoy. I killed the man because he wanted to kill me first."

"Kill or be killed. I guess you've done the right thing, poppet. They still need you."

" _ **Sir!**_ " Tannen interrupted. "I just got off the comms from a private frequency. It looks like their attackers aren't SSG. None of them don't have any markings or patches symbolizing they're from that same group. Actually… they have tattoos but they're not of the group. Surveillance drones caught up a pic of them and they got the photos. They'll show it to you later."

"Good. We're going to need them." Price said before he finally turned to the dirt path.

 _ **Bishop… we're coming along the dirt path now! Now's the time to roll the carpet!**_ Price said and Matilda was surprised of the surname he called out.

 _ **[Copy, Price. Incoming swiss cheese!]**_

 _ ***Brianna's team…***_

 _ **[Boss… we got some incoming but I can't tell who with the radar scramble still up!]**_ Kenneth said with some agitation in his voice.

As soon as Brianna heard the fire was focused somewhere else, she heard an explosion, good enough for a grenade launcher's shot. ' _That's from a grenade launcher. Someone's here to help us out!_ ' Brianna smiled at this and she got out of cover. "Jo, our reinforcements just arrived!" She said as she led the two of them just near the entrance to take out the others. At her surprise, there were three cars of the unknown assailants. Not minding that number, she engaged them, still unaware that she was still capable of combat so long as she has ammo.

"Bree, look!" Jo said as both of them took cover with the maroon-haired leader looking at the witch with the striker units, evading bullets. "That's Bishop, isn't it?!"

Brianna took a close look at the spandex uniform pattern and the hair of the witch in the air. "Katelynn Bishop. She's here. Then…"

 _ **[Main Helm, this is Bravo Six! Sorry we're late… but you better start moving to another cover. The attention will be on us this time!]**_ Price said over the comms before Brianna saw one of their assailants' vehicles explode.

"Yeah! Jo, let's give them a good welcoming party!" Brianna stated more determined than ever as she left cover with her friend...

 _ ***A minute later...***_

The situation was finally contained and Price was able to join up with Brianna. Later, other members of the 141 came in to secure the area and started the clearing op to take out any other evidence they were involved. Although Price has a different agenda in Xing, he has known her for quite a long while. They've done a job together back at year 2002 in recovering stolen chips that will then be used for cyber warfare. He was impressed with how she has shown her uniqueness in combat to which she always get closer. What he found from her... was guts.

Brianna, together with Matilda and Josephine were in awe while Katelynn Bishop, a confirmed granddaughter of Lynette Bishop, was hovering with her strikers while wearing a Black-Ops Britannian Royal Air Force spandex camo uniform. The Brittanian witch had silver upper-back lengthened hair and with brown eyes. Katelynn later noticed they were more focused on looking at her dual striker unit... the new F-35 Lightning. Katelynn then looked at Josephine. "Oi... aren't you that girl who saved that naval base back at Yokosuka?"

Josephine was quite surprised. "How'd you know?"

"I was on the ground trying to get some information. I visited the naval base to know some things when I saw you."

But Jo knew that Katelynn only served the RAF. Why would she be at Fuso? "Strange... you were looking for stuff? You're part of the RAF, you know."

Price then cleared his throat and everyone got their eyes on him. "Bishop here is part of the 141. I assigned her to close quarters air support, and she's impressively been making progress. I assigned her temporarily to investigate a possible SSG scout we followed all the way to Yokosuka. For some reason, we lost the scout's trace and we were never able to find him."

"The old man's probably worried I'll be sniped." Bishop giggled.

"Oh you know you won't allow that." Price chuckled and looked at Brianna. "Poppet, we need to talk."

Brianna then smirked. "You know I'm older than you."

"Better to simply call you by who you are. You stayed that way most often."

She nodded and looked at Matilda. "Tell Ken I'm off the comms for a while. Price and I need a word together." She said before she walked with Price.

Matilda then looked back at Katelynn. "Tell me, Ms. Bishop..."

Katelynn laughed at how she was addressed by the Karlslander. "Now you're just making me a lady! Call me Kate."

"Oh, um..." She then decided to continue. "Have you ever thought of going past the Mach 3 speed record?"

This... caught Katelynn off guard, and later felt a little serious. "Well you're rather insulting June Yeager's record."

"You know about June Yeager?"

"She's the only witch who made the Mach 3 speed record so far. Let me remind you that engineering for striker units are not the only the factor that makes a new speed record in the air but also their intrinsic ability. Like the great 'Shirley,' June also has the speed boost ability. The only difference is... the striker unit itself makes a good catalyst as to how she blends her magic in it. She's a minor in being a mechanic, and she gets help when she usually wants a tune-up on the striker itself. And by the way: I don't have any idea what model or maker it is." Katelynn explained this and the other two seemed to get excited. "Want to know more?"

Then Tannen came by. "Bishop, aren't you supposed to get back? They're mopping up the place and you're the only one who's expected to return to the carrier."

"Oh, sorry about that! Schnaufer, O'Brian... I must get going. I hope you both meet June soon. I DID meet her only at the experimental run of her strikers, but she didn't even tell me the model or maker of that strikers. Maybe if you know, you'd let me know?"

Josephine nodded. "Of course, Katelynn! It's nice to meet you." Then a small white card was thrown at her. "What's this?"

"Call me if you'd like some advice on tuning your strikers. I may have some free time depending on where I am. The carrier I'm on rather travels with its fleet for international purposes." Bishop then winked before she let her engines increase in power. "See ya somewhere, ladies." She smiled as she flew out followed by a forced wave almost putting an imbalance on the two witches.

Tannen snorted. "Likewise. It's a good thing she's usually around for a lot of stuff. If you miss Bishop, you should call the number. I gotta get going." He said before he left the two of them looking at the card.

Did Katelynn really leave something personal behind?

 _ ***Price and Brianna...***_

Price still had his MP5 with him while he walked with Brianna to a leafy part of the dirt path. "What I'm about to tell you is rather... a little coincidental... I think."

"'You think?' What's up, old man?"

"It's still rather new. I got some recent intel about... maybe something you'd understand. My associate named Nikolai in Orussia just saw a rune marking since that organized attack made by the neuroi. Then there was a separate assignment put to one of our squads to track down an SSG messenger carrying documents going to one of their cells somewhere in Romagna. He escaped thanks to some of his friends... but gave us rather a good piece of evidence that what we're both doing would actually change things after a while." He said before he put his hand into one of his pockets. He pulled a photo paper with a picture printed in it. "This is a photo we took on the documents and one of them contained... this." He handed over the photo to her and the first reaction he got was something silent, but her face told differently. She was shocked of the revelation.

Brianna was clearly a rune marking. "Wait... the SSG has this? Why would...?"

"It's the same one Nikolai saw in Orussia. According to him, it transported several or more neuroi human-shaped sentries in the area. It did it two times, making it difficult for Nikolai's men to keep up with the sentry numbers, but they succeeded to getting a VIP out."

"So basically, you're saying that the SSG knew about the runes and they were the same runes back in Orussia's defense against an attack?"

"Shouldn't fit, but that's the only explanation I could accept with the evidence we got."

"Do you believe in this, Price?"

"I can't really explain, poppet. I don't know if believing something that's not factual is worth the time."

"Can't believe in magic either?" Brianna asked with a chuckle.

"It's not like that." He pointed out. "Something stinks from this. After I looked into the photo, it made me think more that the group may be involved with the neuroi."

"Maybe." Bree made a soft hum. ' _But if that were the case... what's the real agenda of the SSG?_ ' "Thanks for showing me this. I don't know what else to do if I wasn't told of something important."

"It's not a problem." He then cleared his throat. "I don't know where this will lead us to. I wanna find out."

"You and me both. It's nice to see you again, Price." Brianna smiled at him and he just looked away, still being serious. "You must be grouchy."

"...says the young, but in truth, an old woman who could be grouchy." Price countered with a chuckle and Bree faked a laugh. "What?"

"Keep it up. Maybe you'll end up that way for too long. I don't like that to happen."

"Oi. You know I'm just doing my best to try being genuine, poppet." Price stated before he changed the subject. "Anyway... we came across a dead end. That SSG cell location that was provided to us was another decoy again. I'm sure some of our 'tips' are just being worked out by the hacker."

Brianna narrowed her eyes. "Project Mercury. Fuck him."

"And I wish he was screwed. Without another hacker to counter him..."

"What about Kenneth? You've seen his profile, right?"

"He's into the high-profile status. I'd rather not risk him to go against Project Mercury."

"Hey! He can cover his tracks whenever he wants."

"That's not the point. I'm sure way before he even started to reveal himself much more to the world, he's being watched. You know how some CIA junkies just get into the private life of people, right? That's how Project Mercury does it. If there's even a single terminal inside the agency that he could hack... he could look into the whole system and track us all down easily. Fry is only the way in... but if he's tricked... it could us all to hell. He's a hacker... but even hackers can be tricked."

"Computer and space age..." Brianna groaned. "Somehow... it could be less complicated if it isn't."

"But if we weren't... the rest of us could live in terror right about now." Price said before he walked back to the scene. "Come on... we've got to rejoin the others."

 _ ***SSG Cell HQ...***_

A scared man was kneeling on the floor with his eyes blindfolded and his hands cuffed behind his back. "Please... don't do this! I swear to God, I'm sorry! I didn't expect they were waiting for me!"

" _ **Fool.**_ " Fraulein Destroyer's voice of disappointment rang out. "You could have watched the tides... or maybe observed better." She giggled before gently touching his chin. "Now you're just meat to me."

"Please... have mercy!"

Destroyer evilly chuckled before she removed the blindfold before he saw her with the steel mask on mouth and nose. He clearly saw the blonde teen tilting her head while her eyes like a hunter glared at his. "Do you like to see what the youth elixir can do to someone like me?" And he just stared in question at her. "It's once made forcefully by the Blue Neuroi during the second neuroi war. If there's a daily dose of it, we stay at our current age. The steel mask isn't just a simple mask but also something to vaporize the elixir. I breathed the elixir's vapor by the use of the mask.

"However, since the youth elixir was forced to be made, my father saw... one side effect, which I don't prefer." Destroyer giggled before she removed the straps of the steel mask. Horror came to his eyes when he saw her mouth and nose, burned like acid after years of getting the dose of the youth elixir. The skin was almost black. Her teeth were sharpened. Her nose had its nasal cavity partly exposed. She made a primal roar as she saw him finally scared and begging for his life to be spared. "Don't you see? I was already dead from the beginning! A mutative property was found in the youth elixir. So how do you plead? And how should you die?"

"Please... no... I'm sorry!"

"Don't be... because you're already guilty." She smiled and showed her fangs before she softly growled. "And the way you should die... hmm... Your ears should be plucked out first." Then her bare hands had its nails lengthen to claws. "Followed by YOUR EYES!" She laughed before she charged him with a growl, tackling him with his back on the ground. Sparing no time, she quickly started to bite his ear. Like it was just soft meat, she torn off the ear and blood came gushing out from where it once was, making him scream crazily. She used her hands to fully get the ear in her mouth as she chewed it. ' _A curse is what was given to me... as is a gift. I do this personally with who I want to punish._ ' She thought and she finally swallowed the ear and looked at the man still screaming. "Dibs on your sight, lover boy." This time... she used her claws... and the rest was just related to meat being torn off... starting with his eyes.

 _ ***14 minutes later...***_

Old Christmas came in after the feast she had with him wearing his mask. He saw her drenched in blood, as well as the body, already with its meat torn off its face, its chest... and even its thigh. "Still amusing yourself?"

She put a piece of her claw into her mouth and tasted her victim's blood before humming in pleasure. "It's rather a delicious moment. I wonder why my father didn't like to change the elixir's properties after seeing a flaw? He must have seen it but went on giving it to me anyway. The man I ate up just peed in his pants while he was eaten alive." She giggled at this before seeing Old Christmas holding up a folder.

"We've got a problem."

"That's only one of them, old friend. I've just gotten word our messenger was accidentally ambushed." She explained before she took the folder and opened it. There were photos of Captain John Price meeting and talking with a maroon-haired woman back in 2002, then at the recent scene at Xing. "The two of them met before. Now they're working together again. The One-Four-One will be staying longer than expected, but I always knew he had friends."

"What do you suppose we do?"

"We move to the backup plan. It's time they know... of our associates. Mercury!" She called out and the door of the room opened again. Somehow, Old Christmas raised his eyebrow, seeing a spandex costumed man with a yellow cyber-marking pattern on it. He was wearing shades and the sides of his spandex head-cover had thunderbolts on them. "Mercury... show him what you can do."

"Gladly." Mercury smiled. Before he made a fist, and then punched the wall. Soon, yellow cyber markings flowed on the wall in the blink of an eye and the room's cameras made sparks, signalling they're having problems. Two ceiling sentry guns were deployed from each corner of the room. Then, he kept his focus and the guns didn't fire. They were supposed to fire at any threat, but they couldn't. The old man then saw the sentry guns were covered with the same yellow cyber markings. Mercury then smirked at the old man. "I'm just one of those who would use Integrate to make things easier on the electronics. Impressed yet, Garry?"

"Shut up." Old Christmas snorted. "You're still not on my approval list."

"One day, you'll see your phone spark up."

"If you touch my phone..."

"IF I do..."

" _ **Enough.**_ " Destroyer commanded them and the two stopped bickering. She knelt and picked up her steel mask and put the straps back on while she covered her mutated mouth and nose. "Mercury... it's about time you get out of your cage. Show them what destruction really means. Start being loose and you'll find yourself in a good place."

Mercury chuckled. "Sure, boss. Maybe I can give you a bouquet of flowers if you like it."

"Shut up. I'm younger than you are. Plus, you won't find my face appealing. And I'm warning you: I'm a hunter for hunks." She said with a seductive voice before giggling again.

"Like I am?"

"Get out of here." She said while she shook her head in finding his nature immature. He chuckled before he sped out of the room in a flash with a red streak following him. She looked back at the old man. "Sorry about his behavior. Every time he gets into the system... he gets into more of the... erotic sites. It makes him quite proud of himself that he starts underestimating his enemies."

"Isn't that a bad thing?"

"No. In fact, his ego can help himself and us for a change. He'll be hard to catch knowing he's both a hacker... and a speedfreak. Like I told you before: He can cover his tracks easily."

"So what is his job?"

"Make attention. Bring chaos. Sometimes get the system to follow his will."

"Isn't that a little too advanced?"

"Yes." She said before she left with a factual info that Old Christmas didn't realize. " _ **He's from the future if you don't know.**_ "

And the old man didn't see it coming. ' _And she's right about chaos._ '

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER EPILOGUE...**_

The air was chilly. The beach was calm. But one thing seemed out of place. A car was on the sands of the shore, and one was looking at the car as a target. The helmeted silver ninja looked at the car intently.

"Curse you... Mercury." Mio said as she looked at the BMW used as a test vehicle. She was in a cyber-suit provided to her together with a Katana. "If I'm the one to execute you, SO BE IT!" She then ran quickly with a silver streak following her thanks to her speed and time slowed down for her. She held her sword tightly before she made an incredible speedy slash combo. With an inhumane speed, time flowed normally again before she jumped back and her sword was flowing with electricity. The car only had a late timing before it was slashed 200 times vertically and horizontally before its fuel tank was hit and the car was engulfed in flames with an explosion. She breathed out in one good go and then removed her helmet, before letting her hair move freely. Her purple eyes then faded as she looked at the car in flames.

" _ **I thought I'd find you here.**_ " Mio turned around to see a black curly shoulder-lengthened haired woman with a brown vest and blue jeans. "And you had to choose a Beemer as a test vehicle?"

Mio chuckled at the Liberion. "Loretta. How'd you find me?"

"I figure with the threat of Project Mercury, I'd find you here. He WAS the maker of the APOLLO system, right?"

"And I'm here to thwart his plans to make the system advanced. If he succeeds at this timeline, it'll be very bad. Why'd you follow me here?"

"I'm here to help, Mio. He's gone back here for personal reasons and I want to find out what the hell they are. If they're worse than what we've predicted... they're starting to accelerate their plans. With this planet going to hell in less than decade..."

"Or half a decade. You know the things that happen here with the earth-born neuroi can make things faster."

Loretta cupped her chin. "Likewise. Things at Atlas are somehow getting a little worse with the Alliance becoming a complete nuisance. We got a different agenda here, Mio. Even if the ripple gets cleared out by the current of the river... we'll try doing our best."

"You mean... some things wouldn't change?"

"Exactly. You know that theory in which time always repeats itself... and prevents a fabric in time to be torn up? It always happens. If that's the case, the future is already secured... and we just need to stop Mercury from making any more plans to take the whole system in the palm of his hand."

Mio turned her head away. "It's like you're saying our own actions determine not to change anything."

"Perhaps." Loretta said and nudged her. "But do you want to find out how we can or can't? I do."

The Fusoan sighed and smiled. "You already know the answer, Liberion. You handpicked me the moment I told you there was nothing left for me after the war."

"Isn't that a fact?"

"It remains so and..." Mio stopped before frowning. "I just hoped that Yoshika would understand. I left her. She was on her own. I never even told her I was going." She clenched her fists and closed her eyes... trying to contain her disappointment in a form of rage. ' _Yoshika... I'm sorry. If there is a way I could tell you..._ '

"You can visit her if you want." Mio opened her eyes in surprised and looked at her Liberion friend. Loretta then put her hand on Mio's shoulder. "I think it's about time you see her again just before we continue. Hawaii's not a good place to hang around at."

"And you told me you wanted to relax." Mio chuckled before she walked with Loretta towards civilization, saying a simple goodbye to the aroma of the sea... "For Sam?"

"For Sam." Loretta replied as she lead Mio.

 _ ***Unknown place...***_

Destroyer punched a simple and old picture frame of the Hartmann twins Ursula and Erica. "The past is no longer with me, father. I'm sorry... but I have other plans..." She muttered, later vowing that she would make her own world order like what her father has done. Only... her empire would not be in Earth. It'll only serve as an ordinary planet for the Red Neuroi. She then looked at the schematics of different space-ships suitable for Faster-Than-Light travel. ' _They're so sure of themselves that they've secured a bright future they forget that the one who's willing to rule this planet is partly a human._ ' Then she looked at the photos of Price and Brianna. "You two have certainly made friends. Now you'll see mine. Let's see how much attention you'll finally give with Mercury around." She giggled at this.

One day, she'll reveal herself... not as a human, but someone who despises everyone else. But still... who... was she? Nobody else would know except herself and Old Christmas. If ever her identity would be revealed, it would come at a good time, and she knows it. But based on how she makes her plans... she's not only endangering her subordinates... but the future she knows. Then again, humanity will be screwed up as well... still making her victorious. Her fate is unknown. The fate of the world is undetermined.

In the end, time must flow. What happens then will be of a standard sequence of events... leading them to something either bright or dark... The age of true fear... is finally arriving.


	5. The tears and smiles relived

_**CHAPTER 4**_

"The tears and smiles relived"

The Fusoan kept her spirits up as she knew the timeline she's on was a very important one. She changed her appearance. Her hair was cut short until it's now neck-lengthened. She has a more fit body than before. It wasn't like after the second neuroi war. Now she's considered to be a woman out of time...

Mio kept her pushups going that morning in the living room semi-elegant safehouse. It was only 6 AM, when it was still Loretta's usual sleeping time. Somehow, the Fusoan didn't care as she kept on her repititions. She knew that physical conditioning was what she needed next to training. Even as a swordsman, strength comes when she endures what is asked of her body to do. For the meantime, she only had her underwear and a gray tank top, thus exposing her thighs, legs, her abdomen and her arms.

Unlike the past, Mio no longer had the patch on her. It seemed that Amaterasu's blessing was more amplified by the nanotechnology applied inside her, making her partly a cyborg witch. It wasn't what she intended to be... but she caught up in a short time. She had these thoughts again when she woke up... and she knew it was about time she talked to Loretta about it again.

As if on cue, the Liberion came walking in the living room while yawning, only seeing Mio doing pushups with her underwear and tank top. Her mouth opened when she saw this. "M-Mio? Aren't you gonna...?"

Mio stopped as she did one more repitition and let her arms retain its straightness before turning her head towards Loretta. "Ah. Good Morning." She said before she picked herself up before grabbing a towel and wiping her face from the sweat she produced. "It wasn't my fault is it? If it is... you know the deal. I'll stab you first and stick your face at the wall."

Loretta laughed uneasily. "Eh, it's not that. Sorry if I was intruding. I just didn't know you were up. That's all." She then went to the kitchen to start making breakfast. She opened the cupboard and got a box containing need-to-cook pancakes. "Seriously, this is what you do every morning during your time?"

"Why not? If I can't do my swings in this house... I may as well improvise."

"You've done a lot of that Mio."

"And it's your fault."

"There's nothing we can do about that. We gotta keep our presence to a minimum but your visit at Yoshika's house is an exception."

Mio sighed at this and figured Loretta was somehow flexible... with seeing the bareness of other women, so she took off her tank top. Then she only saw Loretta's face of shock as her face was beet red. The Fusoan only smiled at this. "Your fault. You took away my clothes... and I get to use yours. You drag me to being a cyborg witch... and look where that has gotten me to." Then she looked down and saw her D-Cup sized breasts. ' _They've grown quite a little after my conversion to a cyborg._ ' "Careful where you're looking at. I'm getting that impression again." She chuckled before she went walked away towards her room, not even ashamed that her breasts were showing.

 _ ***15 minutes later...***_

The two of them were eating together at one table with Mio already dressed up with short jeans and another clean tank top. Pancakes were somehow a new favorite of Sakamoto thanks to a little culture shock adaptation she had in the future. However, she's still better at eating Fusoan dishes. She just wanted to try something new to like.

Loretta felt as she ate... she figured that each second they waste was going to produce a consequence. ' _Maybe I should really tell her the reason why she got into this. I've been hiding too many things now._ ' "Hey, Mio. We've been separated while we were in the future. Tell me... how did you feel when you first got there?"

"Disappointed." She then looked at Loretta. "You weren't there to guide me in that new world you showed me. Then, from disappointed, I was pissed. It took two whole months for me to figure out that the future was in danger already... just because of the neuroi getting new allies... with... I didn't need to guess... humans." She then forced her palm down on the table shaking the plates and the silverware on it. "Do you know how the hell I had to survive the hellhole I went through?! I even had to join the resistance just to get a living! And my god... I've almost lost my life because of what the neuroi were able to put onto us back there!"

"You were technically dead, Mio." Loretta said. "I'm sorry. It's just... It's sudden. I know."

"What exactly was your reason for bringing me there?"

"It's..." Loretta tried to finish it but hesitated for a while there. Then she continued. "The truth is... I thought I would see someone live through much after that war you went through. There was nothing left for you... but I didn't figure you would get stuck with me."

"It's only fate we would separate and I would learn things the hard way, though. When I've seen the horror of the war that was happening at 2025, I never knew how worse it was. This Earth has been infected with the neuroi aura and became, so... unrecognizable." Mio then stopped and thought of how earth was at that time and started to feel sad... therefore even letting a tear out. "I've known only from that time that we weren't able to stop the Red Neuroi after all. They've corrupted this world, and even made it barren for all of us. Now I'm here at this time just trying to find the person who may make his own APOLLO advanced... making the future much worse." She then glared at Loretta. "Do you know the position I'm in right now?"

Loretta just looked at Mio's eyes, with her calm demeanor, but full of anger that she had to see this herself. The Liberion then saw Mio's hand on the table not clenched, so she reached for it and put her hand over the other. "I'm sorry."

Mio just shook her head. "Don't be. I just want to make things clear that I only have one thing that I regret of right now."

"That... you left your own timeline?"

"..." Mio only nodded in response as she took an empty glass with her free hand. "And it seems a lot of things have changed ever since I've gone to the future... My body... my mind... my own magic... much more useful than ever. But..." She then tightened her grip on the glass and it was starting to making cracking sounds. Faster than any human, she shattered the glass with her own hand, which pieces dropping on the floor as she let go. Her hand had wounds on it... but eventually healed thanks to the nanobytes in her system. "...I'm a monster. No matter how many times I try accepting magic and science being put together in one package... I'm a killer... and a monster at the same time."

"You wanna keep telling that yourself?" Loretta glared at her. "Bullshit, Mio. I'm not about to have one of the greatest Fusoan warriors ever tell herself she is a monster. You've been given much more than just power, but a responsibility. You said yourself that you wanted to extinguish our enemies. You do that at your best and you don't flinch at it either. So why now?"

"How much killing would happen only to see peace?"

"Too much, unfortunately. We've lived with that, and it's not a surprise you didn't, and don't want to. So it's not a problem if you drop it."

"...except I can't. I've gone this far." Mio finally said before a sigh.

"Then why start giving up?" Loretta smiled as she stood up and neared her face to Mio's, then their lips touched. Somehow, the Fusoan expected this. Loretta had a little crush on Mio, making her a dyke. Somehow, Mio saw this as a good approach and she decided to kiss back. They then pulled away and Loretta chuckled. "And you know how to kiss, idiot. Don't give up the fight... and don't give up being a woman."

"...you mean dyke?"

"I'm just saying... that I'm probably the only person who understands you. No matter what... you don't forget your own friends who think you can keep on going. You still can. You're a witch, and a human-cyborg at the same time."

Mio needed to think about this for a while just before she would decide to answer again. "Mind if I have some time for myself? Thanks for the talk, though. I'll try to think of things." She then turned around to walk for the door. "Don't worry. A walk won't hurt." She then opened the door and closed it behind her when she got out.

 _ ***Team TRACKSTAR ops base, Miami... 0814 hours...***_

"Of course not... mom." Josephine kept on doing her chin-ups while talking to her mother, Gail O'Bryan, who was on the other line with speakers from the phone. "I'm not really... into boys anyway."

 _ **[I understand, but I'm just telling you it's not that bad. Your military life may have been a very decisive move, but I'm just reminding you of how it's like to face responsibility as a mother. It's healthy anyway.]**_

"Sure... hmm... Whatever you say." She said as she kept on doing the chin-ups, but eventually stopped and let go, landing gracefully back on the ground. ' _Why is mom suddenly bringing this up now? I'm already into action, but I don't want to add a junior to my life._ ' "Thanks for that. But I don't know if thinking about it is the best thing."

Gail then sighed in defeat. _**[Oh... you're my daughter alright. Still trying to hold your virginity?]**_

Her mouth then opened wide in shock. "T-that's not...!"

 _ **[I know, I know. You don't want to mess your period. Okay. I'll talk to ya again, okay? Bye!]**_ She then hanged up and somehow... that caught Josephine off-guard for a while.

' _Sheesh, my mom can be such a bother at times._ ' She then smiled before she grabbed a towel to wipe herself. "She IS my mom." She muttered with a giggle before she started to walk towards the armory. To her curiosity, however, she saw Kenneth looking over the weapons. "Hey, Ken. Lookin for something you like?"

"I don't know. I only play games about guns and shit. I'm not really an avid fan, but one day, I'd use one to protect myself."

"Game nut."

"Whatever, Jo. You got used to being a sniper and close-quarters combatant on your strikers anyway, so hey... I'm not new to seeing the fact you're a gunslinging beauty of..." Ken realized he slipped and just stopped.

Somehow, she just looked at him curiously. "Are you implying something?"

"Huh? I didn't say anything. Did you hear me say anything? Anyway, I'm outta here..." He attempted to walk out but his shirt got yanked by Josephine while she kept her look at him. He just saw her smile. "Uhh... you're creeping me out."

"I know." She said before she let go of the shirt. "Say that again, you'll probably be embarassed you gave the same compliment."

"Hold on... I'm not trying to imply..." Then he stopped. Did he just hear, that Jo could have embarassed him if he gave the same compliment? "Wait... you took that well?"

She shrugged. "Why not? People in the NSA tell me that all the time too. Let alone the Central Intelligence, it could be the same. And for that, I thank you. The last time I heard that compliment was from a guy doing a desk job... who foolishly started to talk about his personal life to me with him being involved in a scam. I punched him there and then for being lame."

And that shot Ken down in his feelings. Somehow, he just suddenly felt a negative aura coming from her. ' _Crap._ '

She giggled and just walked past him. "See ya later, Ken. I'm gonna freshen up." She said before she walked away. ' _That... is considered a fair warning. Give me a compliment but go too far, you'll get it on your balls. You're lucky the last one got it on his face... bad for reputation of a hunk._ '

 _ ***City limits...***_

Miami is what it's used to be... a city with crime... but also with secrets... even for the Central Intelligence Agency to handle. However... this particular one secretive from the rest of the city seemed to be, simple yet hard to catch.

Brianna was on the move while running on the roof of one house in a residential area, chasing a man who seems to be suspicious to the agency. She was asked to investigate the triads behind covering Jun Xi's appearance from high places. It all started with an undercover profile assessment for different individuals involved, but Brianna caught wind of an opportunity to not involve any fights in public, and that involves following a running man for one of the men involved in covering Jun Xi's tracks.

She eventually got down to an alley and saw him climb over a fence. She smirked at this and bent strongly before she jumped high and over the fence and landed on her feet continuing her pursuit. ' _Piece of cake._ '

 _ **[Fry here. Seriously? You really want no one to know you're catching a bad guy? Maybe you need backup?]**_

 _ **Nope! I'm just getting warmed up! I may be in my casuals, but it's a good thing I got sneakers on.**_

 _ **[Why are you chasing him when you can take him down and...]**_

 _ **I gotta make it appear I'm chasing him like he owes me something and he's not giving it back. I can't let others be too conspicuous can I? Besides... I like running!**_ Then she saw him run to the street with oncoming traffic. _**Hold the mo!**_ She said as she tightly followed him on the road, avoiding cars on the way. He's fast... but not as fast as she is. He eventually didn't think he would be able to avoid the bus coming at him, but she then pushed them out of the way together with her, and they crashed on the sidewalk. He was on the ground, and her blue glow eventually faded. She then pinned him on the ground to restrain him. ' _It's was good timing too. No one was looking at me with the glow on my body._ ' _**This is Fray. I got him.**_

As if on cue, a black Lincoln car pulled over. She opened the rear right door and lifted her runner up before shoving him in there. She then looked around as people looked at the scene. "Nothing to see here! He owes me!" She said just before she got in and closed the door behind her. The car then sped away.

 _ ***Safehouse #2, North Miami...***_

The Xingiet blonde semi-bald man has his hands tied behind his back with a rope while his feet were tied to the chair's legs.

Bree just looked at him with a calm demeanour. "I'm gonna be really simple with my intentions. I wanna talk to talk you..."

"...Fuck off." He said it in English... And somehow this made Bree smirk at him.

She then approached him before bending over and getting her mouth near his ear. "Téngtòng huì zài nǐ shēnshang. Nǐ kěyǐ bǎozhèng zìjǐ de ānquán... Rúguǒ nǐ hézuò. (Pain will be upon you. You may guarantee your own safety... if you cooperate.)"

"I'm not telling you shit!"

"I haven't even asked you anything yet. First off... tell me something about Jun Xi."

And somehow he was caught off-guard, but decided to answer. "I know he's the boss of my boss. But other than that, I don't know."

"Really? You wouldn't know anything of any activities related to giving out supplies to another party rather than the main clans from Xing, would you?"

"Oh. I don't know anything about that." He quickly replied, and somehow a drop of sweat was coming down to his cheek.

"Would you want to explain why you're running?" She asked and she only saw him tense up without saying anything. "Liar, liar... pants on fire. I warned you." She said before equipping a pocket knife and immediately with one hand, stabbed his thigh, leaving the knife. He screamed briefly before she smacked him with her other hand. She felt a little pain and shook her free hand. "Your face is a little tougher than I thought." She chuckled. "I told you. Cooperate... or pain's coming to you. I'm not your type either, so either nut up, or your NUT'S GOING TO BE NEXT!"

"Okay okay! Shit!" He kept cursing in English after the pain he received... and some panic that his balls could be stabbed. "I'm a runner... but I've been hearing things!"

"What?"

"...something about a few shipments to be transported somewhere. I know at least one of them. There's this gig about a transfer from the New Miami South Harbor of some VIP's coming from the U.S. Senate. They're gonna be seeing a demonstration of a sort, then a transfer's gonna be happening between them... and an unknown party."

"Unknown party? What about the supplies?"

"That's the weird thing. We're giving supplies... but the unknown party's gonna give their own as well... and I don't even know why they're including some senators." He said this honestly and she saw he was telling the truth. "Look... all I know is that a transfer is going to happen between this private yacht and I'm sure with another yacht but used for business or something."

"A trade."

"Yeah."

Somehow Brianna's beginning to think that the Xingiets are making an exchange with an unknown party. Whatever the reason, she had to try finding out what it meant. ' _That's unlike them to carry around senators... but WHO are those senators anyway?_ ' "Damn."

 _ ***Outside the building... North Miami...***_

A SWAT squad van was driving away carrying the Xingiet runner officially arrested, claimed to be involved in the Xingiet Triad illegal racketeering case since last year. Brianna watched the van leave as she headed to the black Lincoln car and got at the front seat. Then it left the scene. She had her head down in thought of what she heard from the Xingiet runner. ' _There are U.S. senators involved in the damn exchange? This doesn't make sense. What the hell is going on here? What business do they have with the Xingiet Triad? The agency has to know about this immediately._ '

The stinger sights were focused on the travelling SWAT van carrying the Xingiet runner. "Sorry." Mercury chuckled as he fired the stinger missile that came from the apartment roof. The missile travelled and it hit just below the front bumper of the van. The explosion flipped the van backwards and sent it flying for a while before it flipped two times, just before it crashed back on the road. Everyone who saw this screamed in terror. He then put the stinger missile launcher behind him and saw the infernal fires made by the burning van. It then made another explosion and the people inside it would not have survived as the fires consumed the rust bucket of a van. "Ain't my job... but I wanna get the hang of it." He laughed before he walked away from the side of the roof making sure he's hidden.

 _ ***8 minutes later...***_

Brianna was watching as fire trucks arrive and hose down the burning van. Her eyes were widened thanks to the burning van, but she has no doubt it was attacked. ' _They're making sure they don't have loose ends. If the Xingiets have done this, they already knew that he would talk. It doesn't make sense. He's supposed to go back tomorrow for his usual report around the businesses the triad made, but they've gotten to him like this? Or maybe... it wasn't the Xingiets at all?_ ' She thought of this before walking away. ' _Someone's trying to make a fool of us. I intend to find out who._ '

 _ ***Team TRACKSTAR ops base... 11:38 hours...***_

Brianna just got back and she immediately was looking for someone, but ended up seeing Josephine about to leave. "Jo? Where ya going?"

Josephine then stretched her arms. "Dunno. Fresh air, maybe. Truth be told, I'm gonna see my mom for some matters. Mind?"

She nodded. "No, go ahead. You deserve a little of a trip, but get back here when you're done."

"Of course. See ya, Bree." Josephine said before she went for the entrance. ' _My mother better not be too excited to see me._ '

 _ ***Later...***_

" _ **JO! YOU'RE HERE!**_ " Jo's mother shouted in amazement of seeing her daughter outside her apartment. With excitement, she got out of her apartment and hugged her daughter.

Jo even rolled her eyes up. ' _I had to think she would be excited._ ' "Hi, mom." She monotonously said like she always does whenever she's bored of one side of her life. "You really didn't need to shout and..."

"Look, look! My daughter's come back!" She said as her neighbors then looked at Josephine. One old man in his robe and fluffy slippers even smiled and winked at her. This made the girl creeped out.

"Umm... what about inside for a change?" Jo then pushed her mother inside the apartment and closed the door behind her. "Mom, did you really have to do that? I know you wanted to see me, but I didn't exactly think you'll even spread the word!"

"Oh, nonsense. The neighbors loved you!"

"Yeah... too much." Jo muttered. "Anyway... I came here as well to..."

"You must be tired! Come... sit on the sofa and I'll get you some juice..."

"Mom!" Jo immaturely made that tone as she sat on the couch. "Seriously, I'm not a kid anymore."

"Well, you're MY kid." Her mother laughed as she went to the kitchen and out of Jo's sight. " _ **Anything you want, dear?**_ "

"Nothing else but your love. Thanks." Jo said as she then got in her world of thought when she was briefly alone. ' _Things are getting intense in Miami. I don't know why... but I'm starting to really feel that she needs to stay away from these things. She's a journalist, for pete's sake. If she gets a little too close to the Xingiets just for getting a scoop... I'm saying no, and I'm putting my foot down. I can't imagine seeing her hurt._ ' Then she eventually saw her mother carry a glass of orange juice and put it on the small table in front of the couch. She then decided to sit with her daughter, then started before Jo stopped her. "...Not a word, mom. Look... it's been a while that you've been going for the most dangerous scoops you've ever had thanks to the high profile activities of the Xingiet Triad. But please... I want you to stop and stay away from this."

And somehow, her mother blinked in disbelief, and her smile went away. "Uh... what?"

"Mom... I've been hearing about you from your friends from the Hot Tribunal. I can't believe you keep chasing the most crucial but life threatening scoops you call your life-changer for your career. Look... I understand... but... I can't see you hurt like that, mom! Please!"

Finally, her mother was able to understand... that she was just being downgraded by her daughter like she was always been every day. She just maintained that neutral emotion for a few seconds before she turned her head away and sighed. "Great. You too."

"What do you mean?"

"Just stop."

"Stop what?"

"JUST STOP IT!" She said before looking at her daughter's confused eyes. "I'm tired of how people... just..." She raised both hands as she had nothing else to say and tried to think, but can't because of how her daughter was feeling currently. She sighed and stood up, shaking her head in denial. "I'm always the target of too many people, am I? This is how it's supposed to be for me? I'm gonna be talked to by my own daughter?"

"Mom... your friends and I are concerned of you! You don't know how life-threatening your crazy stunts are just to get a real story! Right now... it's too hot! Even if I wanted to... I am always careful with what I do... But you... you're reckless. The first thing I heard about you is chasing a story of a racketeering case, with their suspects running and shooting at the cops on the spot! Damn it... you knew the camera was too close to the scene... and you keep going anyway?! There's even a time you had to hang off the 6th floor of a building just to interview a guy about to FUCKING COMMIT SUICIDE!"

"Why are you telling me this?"

"You're getting too close to what is true... but you're also risking your life just for some stupid promotion you may be looking for, which you won't get just because you're unpredictable!"

"Unpre..." Her mother said before she thought of it again. "Excuse me? I'm trying to do what I can to really get the news closely as possible. No matter how life-taking it could be. I'm doing this not only for myself... but everyone who doensn't see action every day."

"Mom... we're not talking about other people if they're interested in action... but we're talking about your attitude of getting too damn close! You even attempted to get an inside scoop from a Xingiet gambling area just to take pictures! It's a good thing you were rescued from the ordeal... and you're still defending your own actions?! I'm trying to tell you it's going too far."

"Get out."

"What?"

"I said GET OUT!"

Those were the last words Josephine heard and thought as she kept staring at the door of her mother's apartment room. For the first time, her own mother shouted at her. She was once sweet, caring... but now... wanting more than what she has out of risking her life as a reporter. Jo knew this was bad in both her case and the CIA's... now that she sees that her mother may not step back from getting scenes about the Xingiets. ' _Mom... maybe you won't understand what we're trying to accomplish... but your own actions are going to bring you to a bad place. I just hope when the time comes, you'll fully understand._ ' She thought as a tear flowed from her cheek. She's concerned of her mother's safety thanks to the way she was acting...

 _ ***In the taxi...***_

 _ **[She said that?]**_ Brianna worriedly asked.

"Yeah. Unfortunately, I can't just say that she's crazy. She's been a very dedicated reporter and sweet words just won't sway her." Jo's hand was shaking but eventually stopped when she stated her own reply. "I don't know if this is a stage I need to get through... but for the first time... in dedication to her own work... she was firm."

 _ **[Then there's something stronger than just usual reporting. I don't like this.]**_

"You think it may have been related to rushing her career to fall for her well?"

 _ **[I don't know... but since she's your mother, I want you to keep digging up things on her. I wished I'd get Ken, but you know her better.]**_

"Sure. Thanks for not letting Ken hack into mom's files in society. Maybe he'll see something disturbing."

 _ **[By disturbing, you mean...]**_

"No. Seriously. Since you told me about you and Matilda, I already know who and what you are."

 _ **[And I like every bit of who I am, Jo.]**_ Brianna chuckled and did a seductive growl. _**[I'm looking forward to seeing you again.]**_

"Eww." She muttered before she hung up. ' _You may be giggling, but I'll keep your mouth taped one time for thinking like that about my mom._ ' Then her evil grin came. ' _And I'd like to see her humiliated. Just you wait._ '

 _ ***Matilda's apartment... 1302 hours...***_

With nothing much to do, Matilda decided to just chill, but not usually just chilling around. While in front of the TV in her living room, she was doing situps while she watched some old war films. At each time she raised her body she saw air combat between witches and neuroi, both recon and assault units... including bigger ones harder to take down with their mobile cores. As she kept on doing repititions of her situps, the only thing she thought of the war films she views is that in one of more of those scenes... they didn't film her grandmother Heidemarie in combat. It was because her style in fighting wasn't much of a 'show' because they had a thing for those witches who are flying in combat and also as actors at the same time. This didn't fit in Heidemarie's profile, so she wasn't involved in the war films at all. It didn't discourage Matilda.

But emotional will of ignoring her discouragement seemed to fade as she started to think that Heidemarie could have attracted attention of the masses like Hartmann, Barkhorn or even Minna Dietlinde-Wilcke herself due to their shootdown kills. Somehow, the granddaughter wanted that to change if she was a witch, but actually wasn't. It made her feel discouraged at this point. Realizing it, she stopped and thought to herself. ' _How the hell could I think of that? Of course grandma would have wanted her life to remain a secrecy!_ ' Realizing to herself that she was thinking of wrongful things as she thought, it had her mood to shift by giving and finally got on her feet again. ' _Got nothing to do. All I'm going to do is just a stat report as always._ '

She then went straight to a laptop she left on and immediately got to a secure site then contacting Kenneth Fry. ' _Come on Ken. How are you?_ ' She thought just before a secure conversation window came out and started to type her message:

 _ **Intel, any stats that changed?**_

Then Kenneth responded after several seconds. _**[Negative. For now, there's nothing much coming up on the radar.]**_

 _ **Immediately send me a message through my phone if there is. I'm going to the branch HQ right after I prepare.**_ She typed as she closed the lid of the laptop and immediately packed it in her room before getting into the bathroom of the room getting ready. ' _This is just another day of doing a lot of stuff, screwing the day... then doing it again on the next set of days. Why the irony of hard work when it comes back directly to you?_ ' "Shit." She cursed to herself as she got wet and took her bath.

However... the surprise was on her when someone else was in her bedroom while rapped in her towel. " _ **Still trying to deny you're a European?**_ " The Gallian night witch with her arms crossed while wearing a green vest and black shirt in. "Nice to see you again, Tilda."

"Jacqueline."

"Of course." The Gallian smiled as she took a seat on the Karlslander's bed. "I never thought I would see another Karlslander here, besides one who was almost mixed with Liberion blood."

"Sie könnten Ihre Aussage verschlechtert haben. (You could have worsened your statement.)"

Then "Jaq" was surprised. "You call being a dyke yourself, is worse than being with your immortal friend?"

"First off... she's not immortal and just not ageing. Second... I called it worse because it was too soon! Yet I like it when she closes in as the hunter rather being the hunted. I figured it was after the trip to Xing she started to really cut the distance and really get close. Est-ce que tu comprends? Je l'aime, mais je la déteste aussi. (Do you understand? I love her, but I hate her too.)"

"Il aspire à être vous. (It sucks to be you.)" Jacqueline then put her tongue out, then got it back in her mouth. "But instead of sucking, enjoy it while is lasts, Karlslander. You may not know what else she has in store for you."

"Why are you here?" Matilda asked with a change of subject suddenly that Jaq had to be cool instead of playing it. "For a reason, my sex life is not your full interest."

Jaq smile evilly and stood up and approached Matilda. "You don't know how right you are. You have her, after all. But..." Then she put her hand on Matilda's towel. The Karlslander briefly screamed just before her towel was pulled away, revealing her nude body. Jaq was more impressed with Matilda's C-sized cups. "My brother was right about you. You ARE beautiful with your ballistics alone."

"Oh." She said as she narrowed her eyes on Jacqueline. "How's that pig of a man?"

"Doing okay. He actually started a company of his own back in Gallia after you left him. It may be something to disgrace our heirloom, but he makes a life nonetheless."

"Ficke ihn. (Fuck him.) You too... Jaq. You started becoming a pig yourself."

"Remember I was only following him because he was a model? Half of him. Then my other half is from my grandmother." Jaq grinned and walked past Matilda going out of the bedroom. "Get dressed. You're going to your HQ, right? We'll discuss of my business on the way there."

Matilda then kept her sight on Jaq until she crossed the other room not being seen behind the walls. ' _Where's the high and mighty attitude of a royal member? Finally, you've shown your colors, at least, and I'm relieved._ ' She shook her head as she immediately went for her cabinet and got clothes for herself.

 _ ***In Jacqueline's BMW...***_

Jaq had done the favor for Matilda by taking her to the ops base of Team TRACKSTAR, now assigned to the Central Intelligence Agency. It seems that Jacqueline was assigned to a Gallian Special Forces unit thanks to some deep causes. She then explained things while driving. "Look... all I can tell you now is that I'm with an intelligencee agency like yours. The name's too long to pronounce so I'll make it easy for you to understand. And with that privilege, I was assigned to a unit of my own. Takes a big step from being a defense aerial witch to something like that, huh? You're not the only one who's got toys and a little influence to go by in the world."

"Josephine had the same thing, Clostermann." Matilda replied. "Like you, they got a rather rich heritage to keep passing the properties of their predecessors."

"When did that happen?"

"Mary told me that herself."

"The REAL Mary O'Brian?"

"She's practically an NSA advisor but is already retired. She used to manage for Josephine. And now her granddaughter is with us, Team TRACKSTAR while Mary is retired already and relaxing back at Michigan. We're specialized more in tracking different individuals. But we're also good on other things like air support for crucial units in the agency. She's the main host to air support, and we can't always do things without her. Word from Brianna is that she was commended by the NSA thanks to Jo's work in Fuso while defending the naval base at Yokosuka. It boosted morale and relations with Liberion, bringing us a little higher with advantages."

"You still didn't tell me when it happened."

"Mary, together with Josephine has an old country kingdom heritage left from the country of Ire."

"I see. Ire's full of Irish people. You're saying a long line came from Mary's family tree? To think that a Liberion like her could hold the riches of her predecessors and passing it to her granddaughter later on."

"So unlike you... her life's a little more secretive than you think! And she's more helpful too!"

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?!"

"Well you're not one to donate millions of Euros or Dollars to different charity cases in one go." Matilda chuckled. "I admire Mary than you!"

"Tell that to my grandmother... and she passed me her riches with no regrets, Karlslander!"

"Sure! Just watch the damn road, Gallian!"

"Je ne savais pas que vous seriez une telle salope. (I did not know that you would be such a bitch.)"

"Es setzt auch auf Ihre Position! Einfach den Mund halten. (It also counts on your position! Just shut up.)"

"Let's!"

"Fine."

"Fine!" Jaq said finally before they both snorted and kept their eyes on the road, not even sparing a glance towards each other as long as the drive was happpening. They were currently at a place where there were only two lanes. ' _It's not much sophisticated in this part of the city. I DID get here before... after all._ '

Then she had memories to remember... again.

 _ ***Flashback...***_

"GET AWAY FROM THERE!" Jaq was running towards her mother, who was then standing in front of a neuroi land crawler. Jaq's little sister was behind the mother, and was scared. Jacqueline was already stressed of her little sister in danger, and now she had to see her mother doing what she can to protect her little sister.

As if seconds passed by, Jacqueline was carrying her little sister out of the house as she ran as fast as her feet could carry both of them, not realizing that their mother wasn't behind her. When Jaq just realized it, she turned her head to the house, briefly seeing her mother at the window looking back at her with a smile. As if a grim moment of fate came, a beam was cut through that window and it even destroyed the wall the window was at... the same place where their mother was. Jaq could only shed a tear and continue running, as her little sister kept crying when they were both running.

But... Jacqueline thought different when they were in a distance. She put her sister down and they got to the side hopefully safe from the path of the crawlers. ' _Damn it... At this rate, they can catch up to us._ ' Then she had to finally execute her plan, which involved telling her younger sister about it. "Abby... listen to me. You need to run. As long as they keep chasing us... they'll cut us off and we both perish."

"What are you talking about, sister?"

"S'il vous plaît pardonnez-moi, sœur. (Please forgive me, sister.) I have to go."

"What?! No!"

"It's dangerous for both of us if we continue running like this. I have to attract their attention so that I can buy you time! This city is finished, Abigail. And we may be the last ones around this area. You have to go... and live."

"NO!" Abigail shouted in disapproval.

As Jacqueline equipped her p90, she looked at her sister one last time before frowning. "I'm... sorry. S'il vous plaît ... vivre pour moi. (Please... live for me.)" She said before she ran towards the neuroi, still unaware of her presence. She heard her sister cry as her older sibling rushed to the enemy. Jaq knew it was a time of darkness for both of them. ' _I know you'll be alive..._ '

 _ ***4 hours later... at a refugee camp distant from the nearly-decimated city...***_

Soldiers were doing a counter-attack against the neuroi-humanoid infantry only with their assault rifles, which was enough against the enemy. Civilians were running scared of the battle in the camp. Many were dead in the battle, and they had to force to evacuate. However... a few tents still have people inside, with medical attention as priority to the injured.

Jacqueline was on the stretcher with her left shoulder covered with bandages, but smiled nonetheless when she finally saw her sister. It was some time they were separated from each other, and Jacqueline was second to arrive in a stretcher after taking a lethal beam shot from the neuroi crawlers. When she heard the gunfire outside... she was alert, but somehow at a disadvantage. Abigail looked outside and saw there were neuroi infantry attacking the camp. She then ran back to her older sibling. "They're attacking the camp! There are still people inside those tents!"

Then the older Gallian was shocked of this. The enemy was certain in making a massacre. ' _So they're trying to kill every one of us..._ ' Then there are neuroi infantry who forced their way in, even killing the soldier in charge of the tent's protection. "Abigail!" Jaq shouted as she was in shock when Abigail then got in front of her older sibling. "No, no! Don't do this!"

Abigail held a handgun and her handgun was shaking when she saw the four neuroi infantry units approach her. She was nervous of what she would do. ' _This is... my first time... to hold a handgun. I've never used one._ ' She then looked back at her older sisters with fear, but Jaq didn't have it. Instead, she has shown trust. "Jaq?"

"You can do it." Jacqueline briefly said before a tear came out of her right eye. "If this should be your last... end it well."

' _My mother... my father... Jaq... I'm tired of running._ ' Abigail thought as she turned her head to the neuroi infantry aiming their blaster rifles at her. She held the handgun and pointed it to one of the infantry units and shouted as she opened fire to one of them. She was able to see the core of the unit damaged and fell down, just before she witnessed beams being fired at her. "J-Jaq...!"

Time slowed down as Jaq realized her younger sibling was shot with beams. But nonetheless, she was fading with a neutral emotion. She didn't know if she should regret dying, but she already knew her sister didn't. So... with her body weakening, she closed her eyes, not aware of what happened next until an hour later, she woke up while being transported in a truck, with one of the medics reporting her sister was gone. Jaq didn't cry. She didn't feel remorse at her sister's killers either. But she DID feel angry at what fate has brought to the whole of humanity. Why did the neuroi have to do this to everyone in the planet even after a long time? As what she had learned in her life... she didn't feel anger for herself, but anger for everyone else. The next thing she thought is that there is a lot to do, with healing, and getting back to be a witch in the air once again...

 _ ***End of Flashback...***_

Jaq sighed as she kept her hands tight on the wheel aware that the care is stopped with a traffic light on her side as red. ' _It felt like it was yesterday. Even if it was months in the making, I could never forget what happened to my family. And now, I only have my grandmother left. There are many of us in the Clostermann ancestry... and from then... I get to see the youngest of our descendants from the first of us die in front of me. I waver from avenging my family... but I'll avenge everyone else who has gone through what I've gone through. Father told me there should be patience. I'll be patient then. They're still out of my reach. But if they are... I'll strangle a human life if ever they have human allies._ ' The light turned green and she made a right. Finally, she was on much loose traffic.

Matilda noticed Jaq's still emotion and was impressed. She thought the Gallian would be pissed after half an hour from their conversation, but was somehow astonished to see her collected, like she's experiened this before. "Jaq."

She briefly looked at the Karlslander. "Finally decided to break the ice?"

"Not unless you do the same, Jaq. What's up? There's something else bothering you. Bist du in Ordnung? (Are you alright?)"

"Peut-être. (Perhaps.) And it's a good eye you have." The Gallian stated as she kept her eyes on the road. "You ever had a sibling die in front of you before?"

"Oh. That again, huh?"

"Again?" She then pulled the car to the side and stopped, then engaged the hazard lights just before she glared at the Karlslander. "Fool. I always think of my little sister every moment I'm still in this world. Could you have gotten worse of the amnesia from hearing my story before?"

"Okay... I'm sorry!" Matilda waved both hands to stop Jaq and finally, there was a pause with the Gallian still glaring. ' _Geez, she just doesn't want to forget._ ' "Anyway, still feeling patient?"

"It's a good thing I still am. If I weren't, I may have already gone back to Gallia to sulk after making foolish moves. You know me." She said before she chuckled and fixed her eyes forward. "I think there's more to being a completely calm person, Schnaufer. My grandmother always told me that the next step happens when we truly will to see it, even if our bodies give up that time. It's always a natural course and I think of that advice over my anger. I'm angry at the point humanity had to suffer the neuroi once again, and I long to see that it doesn't happen again, only by fighting to protect people." She then looked at Matilda again. "Grandmother has this sense of chivalry and has a good impression towards one witch named Yoshika. The two of them were together during their time together when they were defending a sector of Britannia."

"The 501st?"

The Gallian nodded. "It could have been another, but it's nonetheless the Strike Witches, Tilda. She was once against Yoshika because she's new, but she became a team player for everyone, but nonetheless the most courageous witch my grandmother had ever met in her military life."

"You DO know that a Miyafuji is serving the marine air force in the Atlantic, right?"

"I'm aware. I had a duel with her." She said with a smirk and Matilda was surprised. "Cat got your tongue? Allow me to retell that exciting tale."

 _ ***Flashback...***_

 _ ***Over the Atlantic...***_

Two carriers were in front of each other while three kilometers away from each other. The two captains of the carriers were aware that a duel has been sought out by Jacqueline herself. This surprised the Liberion carrier captain named Garrett Aldrich. Even so, he still allowed it.

Mitsuko was walking to the carrier launch bay already with her spandex flight suit and earpiece on, and aware that her striker units are ready when Clostermann contacted her. _**[Ready to lose, Liberion?]**_

"Not in your life, Clostermann." Mitsuko said with an evil grin. "Ever thought off not pissing anyone off?"

 _ **[Aww... I know a naughty tone and the grin that comes with it, Miyafuji. However... that's what I like to do: Intimidate my opponents.]**_

"Does every duel have to be this way?"

 _ **[Perhaps.]**_ Jacqueline stated before a sound of an elevator was on the background. _**[My striker units are finally here. Ready to lose?]**_

"I hope you are, because I see my babies already." Mitsuko smiled as she saw her new F-35's. "I never knew this is really going to be a possibility. You sure you know what you're doing?"

 _ **[Are you?]**_ Jaq said before she cut off the transmission.

' _Typical._ ' Mitsuko thought as she ran and jumped before she was able to mount the strikers. She glowed dimly with magic as her magic circle formed below her. Finally, the elevator was operated on.

Eventually, Mitsuko was already on the carrier runway of the USS March. Captain Aldrich was heard on the PA. " _ **Miyafuji, anything else concerning you?**_ "

She then used her earpiece to reply. "For now, there isn't. Thanks for doing this, captain."

" _ **Hey, we rarely get any duel challenges out here except with the Gallians. This is YOUR first with Clostermann.**_ "

"I know. She's still someone cool."

" _ **Don't let that get in your head all the time. Alright, whenever you're ready.**_ "

"これは宮藤です！私は離陸しています！(This is Miyafuji! I'm taking off!)" She shouted as she let her jet engines roar from the striker units before she zoomed off. She held a standard paintball machinegun with her.

 _ ***At the Royauté carrier runway...***_

"This is Clostermann, at the ready!" Jacqueline said as she was in her Dassault Rafale striker units and holding her paintball MG. "Ceci est Clostermann! Lancement! (This is Clostermann! Launching!)" She let her jet engines roar louder as she zoomed off and raised altitude. Once she got a good altitude, she focused her direction forward. ' _The day has finally come, Fusoan. I don't know if I should call you a Liberion, but nonetheless... I'd love you to be my rival._ ' After a short time, she finally saw her rival come at her and contacted Mitsuko. "I hope you're ready!"

 _ **[Way ahead of you!]**_ Mitsuko shouted over the comms before the Gallian saw paintballs coming at her. She immediately dodged it and with a narrow way, fired back. The two of them finally got their duel started.

 _ ***Moments later in the duel...***_

Both of them were resilient. While Mitsuko was pursuing Clostermann from behind, the Gallian did a 180 degree dive before she shot multiple paintballs at her opponent, hitting Mitsuko's striker unit. ' _Damn it!_ ' Mitsuko cursed in her mind before she fired back. The Gallian dive thanks to her angle with her head to the earth. The Fusoan closely pursued Jacqueline and loosed more rounds.

Somehow, Jaq was confident after showing Mitsuko her skills. As she saw the water, she grinned before looking back at her pursuer. At this time, she immediately leveled but to her opponent's surprise, the Gallian was flying low, and her speed enabled the water to raise thanks to her supersonic speed. This got Mitsuko certainly wet and Jaq had this planned. Finally, the Gallian pulled up and hovered, seeing the tall wall of water falling back down to sea again, but not expecting to see Mitsuko through the wall of water. "What the...?" She didn't finish her own sentence when she saw paintballs come at her, and one of them hit her square at her chest. Immediately, she moved. ' _So it doesn't matter to her if she gets wet? This is interesting!_ ' She immediately sped away from her opponent, then made a tight turn to come back against Mitsuko. "Still trying to prove you're better?!"

"I thought YOU'RE doing that?!" Mitsuko shouted as she loosed paintball rounds as the same was done by Jacqueline passed each other after having evading a lot of rounds. It only seemed that the two were almost at equal skill.

It was only minutes in the duel that the two of them were just still. Both of them had run out of ammunition.

The two just hovered near each other after finding out they were both out of rounds. They were only a point tied to each other. It felt like seconds with the fast maneuvers, but it was actually a few minutes. The one who's most stunned was Clostermann herself. Before Mitsuko could speak, the Gallian went first. "Hellfire... it seems you've proven... formidable."

"You think you aren't?" Mitsuko chuckled. "Look... I may be Fusoan, but I'm proud to be hard-to-beat if ever it stays that way. You should feel that way too

"I know. I just shouldn't get over my head." She said before looking at her left with her antannae activated. "Damn it... not again!"

"And I thought it's just us." Mitsuko laughed before she flew off back to her carrier. Jacqueline did the same, and Mitsuko contacted her. "Jaq... I'd bring heavy ordinance if I were you."

 _ **[Really? I can handle things with my assault rifle.]**_

"I don't think it'll cut it. Trust me. You never told me what kind it is. But I know it's damn big."

 _ **[And underwater.]**_

 _ ***Later...***_

The neuroi from underwater suddenly came out forcefully, looking like a serpent, but huge. As soon as its tail was out and in the air, the neuroi attacked the Royauté with a beam, only to be blocked by Jacqueline's shield. The serpent neuroi got back in the water after the wasted attack. "Not even close, neuroi!" She said before she raised her FAMAS assault rifle and fired three-shot bursts while avoiding beams from the neuroi underneath the surface. It kept happening and she kept evading each one thanks to her agility as a night witch.

Mitsuko then has her Javelin at her back while carrying a Steyr AUG for multi-purpose tasks. She figured at this time, having less weight was better, disregarding her restored Fusoan MG. She already reached the scene after seeing Jacqueline block more beams with her shield. ' _It's underwater, all right. We just need to be sure that the thing could leave the surface before we could strike._ ' "Yo, Jaq! We keep hitting the thing from the surface, it's better."

 _ **[Problem: It fires stronger beams from its head, but it easily catches up if we hit it from behind.]**_

"Hitting the tail with some wounds on our side is better. Hopefully it won't be the case, so I trust you can shoot it."

 _ **[Don't tell me you'll distract that thing! No. I will do that! You fire the Javelin once you get a clear shot!]**_ Jacqueline demanded that plan was to be executed while she kept blocking beams with her shields.

Mitsuko already knew it would be the case. "Fine. If you die, it's on you." She muttered before she flew towards the scene. She saw the serpent leave the surface after a forceful swim upwards. While in the air, however, Mitsuko realized something. She needed good timing whenever the Javelin missile could reach the tail of the serpent neuroi, and it would be almost impossible with the delay of the lock-on even if she already aimed at the thing at the tail. ' _Damn it, at this rate, I would just be wasting my time every time I make a lock on._ ' She thought as she saw the serpent go back into the water. "Jaq, we need another plan. The missile won't be able to make it if the neuroi dives quickly."

 _ **[Copy that. Captain, any suggestions?]**_ Jaq said and Mitsuko knew she was talking to the Royauté's captain. Eventually, Jaq got back to Mitsuko. _**[The two of us would have to try distracting the serpent. I'll keep doing that part, but you're gonna to trust me. You'll shoot the tail with your Steyr AUG.]**_

"I have a better idea. Could you go a little higher? I wanna see it catch you in the air. We'll 'catch' it ourselves, if you know what I mean."

Jacqueline then analyzed what Mitsuko said and got what she meant. She looked at the Liberion fleet just behind the carrier and there were battleships with their cannons at the direction of where the serpent was last seen. ' _A laser guided cannon strike? Can she time it?_ '

 _ **[You can count on me, Gallian.]**_

"Good. I hate it when people miss."

 _ **[Well, I won't.]**_ Mitsuko replied with a smirk.

It was just before the Gallian sensed the serpent underneath with her antennae. "Crap!" She flew up before a big splash came from the water with the serpent neuroi coming out. It whine as it glided upwards, taking the water with it just before it released beams and she blocked it. At such a high altitude, she also heard battleship cannon-fire and she smiled. Mitsuko had a laser-guidance module with her from her wrist and it was pointed towards the body of the gliding serpent. ' _You're a genius._ ' "COME ON!" She shouted as she fired bursts at the face of the neuroi serpent before it started to fall.

Mitsuko saw the shells of the cannons finally hit the body and the serpent neuroi whined in pain just before its hide was damaged at multiple places. She finally saw the core as the enemy fell. She then zoomed in while it didn't hit the water and she finally aimed down her sights just to see the big vulnerable gem exposed. Wasting no time, she fired a burst before rounds have hit the core and shattered it. Its tail splashed down together with its body before it shattered into white pieces in defeat. ' _Glad that's over._ '

 _ ***A moment later...***_

Both witches were hovering in front of each other with the Fusoan-Liberion's arms crossed over the other. "Okay, why was the serpent neuroi going after you more? At this point, it should have gone and pursued the fleets surrounding us."

"Something may not be right. I know that too." Clostermann stated before she hovered closed to her rival's face. "But let's not forget that both of us have a score to settle the next time."

"You're an idiot."

Her eyes widened before she gave that smug look as she chuckled at Mitsuko's rather sudden remark. "You could have told me that before, you know."

"But partially, you're right. It's interesting to see you overcome your own nervousness, Jaq."

"So did you. You've shown your specialty to guide projectiles to their target a while back with your laser-guidance module. It's not a witch's ability... but you've got quite the assistance from your allies. You must have done a lot of work to gain their trust."

"I could have been chosen."

"Except with that commanding spirit, you weren't chosen." She smiled and placed two fingers at her rival's forehead. "I sense your spirit and emotions, Miyafuji. If you were chosen, then would have acted plainly as a soldier, but you're something else."

"How could you tell?"

"It's more than a woman's intuition but I've seen that kind of attitude before. You're not only calm and collected but also fit to be patient with a strategy at hand."

Mitsuko frowned. "Learned that from last time and now, huh?"

"I actually don't believe you're bad."

"Really?"

"Not fully. You know what?"

"What?"

"I'll look forward to seeing you again, Miyafuji."

Somehow, Mitsuko felt a bit surprised by how Jacqueline expressed herself. For some reason, the Gallian has influence of being a noble but also a snob at times. She may just be looking for friends. Is she?

The Gallian saw that curiosity and immediately responded. "I know you think of me as someone who abuses the noble rank, but I'm not low. Many people think so, unfortunately."

"Do YOU think so?"

"I can't say either. All I'm doing now is try to see if I can fit in no matter what." Jaq said before she shrugged. "My military career may have gotten me to where I am now... but I'm certainly not one to socialize."

 _ **[What are you doing? Get back over here!]**_

Jaq was spooked and was a little uneasy when she looked at Mitsuko again. "I guess I better get back. I'm sorry for taking up your time."

Mitsuko chuckled. "Look who's good at socializing."

Jaq frowned there. "Oh."

"I mean it." She clarified before the Gallian looked at her eyes. "Just make sure you're not a stranger."

 _ ***End of Flashback...***_

The rain was heard outside the window-surrounded sedan as Jacqueline opened her eyes again. "All I've wanted from then was get an understanding from the rest. I'm complicated... as a snob... a pig... or just a bitch who's experienced severe trauma out of the loss of her a family."

"I don't blame you. And no one else should." Matilda said as she looked at her Gallian friend, with the other doing the same. "Look... all you've got now is yourself in your family... and the people who look up to you. Miyafuji does, and you proved it."

Jacqueline smiled at this and sighed. "I hope grandmother is hearing you say that. She'd love you already."

"Huh?"

"Grandmother completely admired Yoshika Miyafuji right after they were disbanded. All that they knew after they have finally defeated the neuroi and its human leader has changed and they've been close until they separated to go back to their own countries. Both of them didn't regret and they knew they were close friends." Jacqueline explained it and Matilda understood.

The subject was quickly changed as Matilda's phone rang. Jacqueline just looked at her friend take the smart phone out and put the speaker against her ear. She looked at the other girl closely and had this emotion of sudden concern. ' _Something's up._ '

"What do you mean they won't see his cover?" Matilda asked Ken on the phone with her worried tone.

 _ **[That's only half of the news. Apparently this will involve a prisoner escape.]**_

"A prisoner escape? Tell me the name."

 _ **[Damn it... I can't trace it unless there would be news and...]**_ Ken then gasped just before an explosion was heard from afar...

 _ ***30 seconds later...***_

A blue Ford Torino GT Cobra traveled the avenue near Adrienne Arsht Center. The driver with black and blue highlighted hair has his cool over the distant tailing of an armored SWAT van with police escort. The only thing that rather got him a little suspicious was there was a news helicopter high above in the air. ' _He may have been one heck of a celebrity on the news after the biggest drug bust I may have lead, but he's about to either turn a new leaf or..._ ' Then he heard a rocket travel from the news chopper. Soon, the RPG round hit the rear police escort, and flipped it upwards. "Son of a..." He almost cursed as a black BMW sped from the opposite direction and passed the convoy after submachine gun fire was heard. He ducked to avoid the bullets... but he heard the van speed up and crash through the front police escort, meaning the front escort's driver was either killed or hit. "Shit! I hate it when I'm right!" He put his foot down and the car sped off to go after the van.

The sirens were wailing... and his joined with no exception. It was clear what happened: A prisoner is now on the loose.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER EPILOGUE**_

She was doing some pull-ups. Her short lavender hair was wet with sweat. She was breathing regularly. Her left arm was made of iron. This described someone who had gone through all those years getting ready for something only the chosen are going to handle. But what lies for their enemies? This particular person wasn't an enemy... of humanity. The Liberion government has chosen her to combat any threat before it even becomes a problem.

Mitsuko walked in the hangar bay of the carrier that night and saw her friend doing pull-ups. Their friendship was strange considering that Mitsuko only met her months ago after being 'activated.' Considering that the subject was still human even with her robotic parts, the Fusoan-Liberion still granted her friend was a warrior. She stopped as she was near her lavender-haired friend. "Hey. You've been doing that since half an hour ago."

The robotic girl groaned a little. "So?"

"So? You're stressing yourself a little more than usual."

"Why not? Uggh... This body is hard to get used to before... and I'm already the hang of things."

"Considering you can't fly a striker... like from the past?"

The lavender-haired girl snorted as she finally let go of the bars and landed on her bare feet. She turned around to reveal her left cyborg eye while the rest of her except her left arm was human. She made the considerable smile to reassure her friend she wasn't pissed. "I'm telling you... this world ain't a problem."

"Come on, Thelma. You know as much as I do you're just getting used to the atmosphere. You've been a popsicle for quite THAT long after all."

"Hmm..."

"It's okay. You know I'm here for you, right?"

"It wasn't easy accepting my other friends have died after I left. Then again, I already knew I had friends who died WHILE I lived anyway." She said before she took a towel and wiped herself. "Let's forget about it. I know you're not just here to comfort me."

Mitsuko chuckled and took out a photo and held it out to Thelma with one hand. "It's this. The NSA just called out a target. Finally."

"Name?"

"Yin Tsung. Ex-convict, but once wanted of killing multiple police officers after a raid done in Rio, Bruruil. Only thing is... he's also affiliated with the Xingiet Triads in both Liberion and Xing as well. Several hours ago, he escaped after a convoy escort going to NSA territory for verification that his crimes would be answered legally. Apparently, he also killed some agents too."

"Oh. And... he's a target now?"

"They're looking for the best, and I'm here."

"Good. When do we start?"

* * *

 **AND THAT IS THE END OF ANOTHER CHAPTER!**

 **Sorry if I've been gone for too long! I needed to take care of serious business with my job and I only found time to update! :) The next chapter's gonna have its list of OC's for the first time... and I'll keep going on this as well! ;)**

 **Chillax! I'll be making sure both Strike Witches fanficts are being updated... so please bare with me if it's slow...**

 **Thanks for your support and keep on reading! ;) I got a wild imagination going on... ^_^**


	6. Hunting Party (Part 1)

**FREAKING GRAPHIC DESIGNING RULES! So far... I've kept up in writing and at the same time, graphic designing. You guys should try it too... because it's AWESOME. You get to research some stuff you don't understand... and it IS something you can let loose with your art once you know your own kind! ;)**

Anyway... probably an explanation is needed for those who are curious.

"Strike Witches: The World's Finest" is known as the prequel to this fiction, "Modern Warfare." Some characters from the prequel will be in this fiction even if it's after 70 years due to various reasons... because it involves time compression too, you know! :) One of the characters has even been a popsicle. (Read the previous chapter epilogue to see that...) Anyway... I'm thinking THIS would be my starting book if ever offices would LOVE to see this... and I'm gonna keep on writing to find out! ;)

* * *

 **Responses to my reviews so far:**

 **From Aviat0r:**

 _ **Yup! Sorry for the long wait, dude. As for that Stinger Missile trick... it's not the normal kind, because its round can also be converted to a heat-seeking missile, and guided via a laser targetting system. It's one of his weapons that he'll be showing again on later chapters. ;)**_

Gosh... this is real nice. :) On to chapter 5: Hunting Party! PART One. ;) Enjoy.

* * *

 _ **CHAPTER 5**_

"Hunting Party (part 1)"

 _Recently, the prisoner that was escorted to a maximum security prison had escaped thanks to several unknown accomplices. The prisoner's name is Yin Tsung. The reason he's called to the NSA before he would be officially sentenced to imprisonment was because he was able to kill multiple agents who had top-notch training. Specifically, eight agents were killed, along with Codename Helion Six-Two, the best among the agents. They were assigned to be the first take-down team to seize Yin Tsung from bombing a complex in Rio. However... it has proven to be an empty effort. Even with the bomb defused, Tsung's real quest is to single-handedly kill all the agents where they were not being observed by any NSA asset. And so... Yin Tsung's escape was silent. But two months later... he was arrested after being traced back to Liberion because of his loose ends needed to be killed. Even having tied his loose end, and going back to Rio secretly, his house has raided, and he was forced to be in the custody of INTERPOL, before being turned over to Liberion's government where he was first wanted of his crimes._

 _His motives are unknown, but he had done multiple counts of assault and murder across Liberion to eliminate members of who were believed to be SSG members. However... he also killed officers of the law. Nonetheless, he's a cold assassin, now on the run._

 _ ***Taxi inbound Miami... 2017 hours...***_

"I thought he was around for several years." Thelma said as her ear was against the speaker of her smart phone. Her left eye was disguised to have a human eye and her left arm was covered with a long glove. She was in civilian clothing that time. The female on the other line then responded.

 _ **[The records were proven to be tampered with back at INTERPOL. No one knows how the hell INTERPOL's database got hacked, but it concerns the name Yin Tsung. Truth is... he's only been around for one year and is a shadow. We don't know how he started to be around... nothing.]**_

"...not even a trace as to how he arrived in Rio?"

The femaled voice on the other line sighed. _**[Once you find him, capture him. DO NOT kill him.]**_

"I thought the job was about killing him."

 _ **[The situation has changed drastically. Recently, he was able to raid another SSG cell somewhere in East Florida. He left all the members alive, and tied them up. The local authorities came in and found them that way. The tip about Yin Tsung responsible for doing that raid by himself was a convoy consisted of members from the Xingiet Triads. One of our assets noticed this and identified him after he left the building, but lost him.]**_

"That changes objectives, huh?"

 _ **[Exactly. He may not be the killer he once was after he was in custody, so it will at least give him a chance to be captured. You've got good tracking skills, Mcguire. You can use that skill.]**_

"It's about time."

 _ **[Don't be too eager. It seems you'll be helped out by members of Team TRACKSTAR, the new addition of the CIA also specializing in tracking. They were once with NSA, but we've come to an agreement that they can do better while in the Intelligence community.]**_

"I don't need help."

 _ **[Maybe you'll consider working with the intelligence community's celebrity right now... Brianna Fray.]**_

"Fray? You mean from 'Tyler' Fray?"

 _ **[Don't be surprised, Mcguire. The rest of the details will be given once you've talked to her. You must at least know her end of information.]**_

"Understood."

 _ **[Good. I expect you report to me after you've met with Fray.]**_

"Hey. You put me as a merc... not your agent."

 _ **[You're skilled of both... so consider it so, Ms. Mcguire. We'll contact you again.]**_ Then the line was hung up.

All Thelma did afterwards was groan for a while. "Damn it... I hate it when my boss is like that."

It took half an hour before she arrived at her destination: Miami Art Museum. It was an unusual place for an agent and a 'merc-agent' to meet up in... but Thelma knew it wasn't a bad idea either. Although there are less people, nobody would notice them as most of the visitors of the museum would be critics or admirers of works of art. People would just look at them as just regular observers and wouldn't mind even if Thelma was young. She's 22 years old and somehow unchanged while she was a 'popsicle' after participating in that experiment 70 years ago.

She walked in the museum and looked around. Only a few people were inside because it was already late. However... the museum closes at 9 PM. She has time to kill or just wisely use for the contact to see her. If Brianna is wise... they would just see each other right away, but it wasn't the case. For some reason, Thelma couldn't find her.

 _ ***2040 hours...***_

Thelma was somehow a little frustrated as she looked around the museum. ' _Damn it, I looked everywhere for this bitch! I looked at the Triassic Origin, the First Caveman, the Jolly Hollow legend... damn it!_ ' She thought of this as she arrived at the main lobby and decided to stop. ' _I don't know why the heck I'm bothering. I'm just gonna call the agency and..._ '

" _ **Um, excuse me?**_ "

"WHAT?!" Thelma was holding her phone while she turned to the young teenage maroon-haired girl. The merc-agent's face of feeling pissed just faded when she saw the young teen was startled. She did a heavy sigh before she approached her. "I'm sorry. It's just... I'm waiting for someone. I kinda got a little pissed at waiting."

"Oh."

"What do you want? I thought you called me?"

"Um... can you help me with something?"

 _ ***Control Room...***_

Thelma has this face of shock of what she was seeing. She clearly saw guards, unconscious while sitting on the floor, tied to each other. There were only three of them... but all of them seemed to be out cold. "Oh my god... Did you?"

"Surprise." The girl giggled at this and this made Thelma suspicious.

"Who are you?" Thelma said before she revealed her concealed pistol and aim it closely at the teen's head. "I don't care if it's awkward... becaus you've done this. I'm fooled by your eyes once... but I'm not going to be again."

The girl gave a smug look at her. "Impressive. You know... I can get much naughtier than that. I've actually done worse and killed with this age."

' _With this age?_ ' Thelma seemed to be confused.

"It's nice to keep the pistol aimed at someone scared, but it's not wise with because in truth... I'm not." She smiled before she flipped backwards, kicking the pistol up but didn't expect her legs to be grabbed and was slammed back on the ground with her butt taking the pressure. ' _Damn it, she's faster._ ' She thought before she felt something step on her neck. She saw it was Thelma herself. ' _Damn it... she's trying to kill me!_ ' She really saw it with Thelma's cold eyes and she knew she had to do something. "T-Thelma..." She muttered as she tried to struggle and hold the merc-agent's leg but to no use. She passed out before she could do something to save herself.

She heard the name clearly and finally stopped. ' _What am I doing? I heard my name._ ' She put her foot away from the young teen's neck and kneeled to observe and check her pulse. ' _Of course she's alive. She's just unconscious._ ' But then her eyes widened. Something definitely resembled this young girl. She remembered her past memories when she was once talking to Minna Dietlinde-Wilcke herself. That woman was closely resembled to this girl when she noticed their eyes are almost similar. Thelma didn't feel this girl was a look-alike... but actually in genetics, she knows what this means already.

The young girl finally stirred awake and moaned. "Ow..." She muttered before opening her eyes to a curious Thelma. "You shouldn't be that damn hard. And they told me you weren't that cold."

The lavender-haired woman crossed her arms as she stood up. "Did you have to test my reflex time... Fray?"

Brianna stood up, still feeling her neck hurting from what Thelma did. "You're perceptive. Look... I'm sorry. I didn't really wanna look into the details of what you became."

"Yet you have been reading my background... Bree. Should I call you that?"

"Yeah."

"Screw it. Why are you younger than the usual?"

"You don't know, do you?" Bree smiled before a glow surrounded her. She closed her eyes and her body started to change. Thelma started to study that tranformation and it was amazing. That mix of magic and atom reconfiguration intrigued her. It was already a sign of an incredible witch. It took several seconds before the glow and brightness disappeared. Brianna has shoulder-lengthened maroon-colored hair this time, and in her civilian clothes before she transformed into her 28-year old form. "I felt a little comfy when I was 12, but it's better I'm like this again."

"Y-you've... you..."

"Cat got your tongue?"

"You've... transformed? There's no doubt about it... you're... a witch of true value?"

Brianna nodded. "I'm sorry you didn't actually meet me. It was right after the assault that day in 1946 that my mom decided to take a break from service just to see me born into the world. And... yeah. As a witch of true value... who can do many great things... in my case, I can change my age. It's indeed... extraordinary."

 _ ***Outside the museum...***_

The two have decided to talk while walking at the sidewalks, watching the few stars in the sky. They always wondered how the heck evolution begins to be a mystery... and how magic is unique to every witch. Brianna has that skill of changing her age... and Thelma has the ability to save up magic consumption a lot, making her the most enduring witch with magic.

While they walked, something made Brianna curious and decided to talk about it with Thelma. "Thelma... how did you and your mother meet up?"

"Me and your mom already know each other. We just started to relate to each other while you were in the womb, but we really got close after I learned her daughter is a witch of true value... which supports if the parents are both witches."

"That research is long gone, Thelma. The world won't take it easily if you tell them."

"But at least it remains with me... and much more... with people I know. I didn't completely burn out the research, Brianna. I... am the research. They'll have to get to me if they wanna know the real hard truth." Thelma chuckled before she saw a black Lincoln car stop closely near them. "That your car?"

"Yeah. We'll head to my apartment, Thelma. Don't have any clothes?"

"I'll do fine with whatever I have."

"Eww. Can't even take a shower?"

"It's a good thing I have cyber implants... but I wanna show you something when we're in the car..." Thelma smiled at this before she opened the rear door of the Lincoln car, followed by Brianna before door was closed. As the car left its spot, Thelma then pointed at her left shoulder blade. "This is where the artificial skin begins to be. From here until my hand, it's made of steel. My bosses decided to put me in ice because I was needed for the future. Politics and the way the army is used would have changed, so I know evolution around Liberion would have been drastic. I was once branded a criminal, but I was given a lifelong chance. I was made into a killing machine by the remains of the Deep Science Division. They knew something didn't feel right after Rosaimus had passed. They were right for unleashing me again."

"Blood, huh?"

"I'm not always after blood... but if it involves releasing a great evil... I'm pulling all the stops and I go 'all-out.'"

"Tell me something: Why did you really leave after that assault? There must have been a reason."

"It was because I was unworthy to be in presence with friends. I would only hurt them. I don't want that. I have my own burdens."

Brianna frowned. "That's really awful. Don't think of it that way. I wish it would have been the case I was around in mid-1946."

"Don't wish of it if I were you. You won't like the scene no matter what angle."

 _ ***Brianna's Apartment room***_

Brianna went ahead inside while Thelma looked at the spacious bedroom, then next to the kitchen and the dining room. It was a luxurious kind and somehow... the merc-agent had it coming. "Can I call you Bree?" She asked as she closed the door.

"Whatever you like." Bree said as she stripped off. This caught Thelma off-guard as she looked away. "We're both women in here."

"Yet you've got the nerve."

The Karlslander-Liberion chuckled at the gesture shown and entered the bathroom, and closed its door. ' _She can sure be humble._ '

While Thelma was aware that Brianna was inside the bathroom, she looked around. Near the bed, she saw a few pictures of Brianna and her mother, Minna. It had been a long time after that picture was taken. And from the look of it... Minna was aged around in her 40's. ' _So Minna really DID enjoy herself. Too bad Brianna had to remove a lot of her records and only have these pictures to remind herself of who she is._ ' Then Thelma glanced over at some of the hanged clothes near her cabinet. They were office clothes. It seemed Brianna was visiting the office branches of her agency.

" _ **Curious?**_ " Thelma turned around to see Brianna wiping herself with her towel, not minding her nudity. "I visit the NSA at times. I never knew it could be a hassle depending on the type of visit."

"Miss them?"

"Ever since that transfer, yeah." Bree then went to the cabinet... still showing that nude body of hers before opening to reveal her nightgowns. "I kinda miss my old friends there, so the new director allowed me to see them from time to time."

"Director Zimmerman, huh? I wonder how that coot was doing."

"Coot? Please. He's kind."

"Kind of a goofball if you ask me. He was the one who spoke to me before I left the carrier."

"Carrier?" Bree asked as she finally got her nightgown on. "Which one?"

"...the one with Miyafuji on it."

"Mitsuko? The North Terrier."

"That's it."

Brianna then took a seat on her bed, while making Thelma see her legs crossed. She even gestured her fingers to pull her companion in beside her. The merc-agent took this surprisingly. "What's wrong? Didn't like that idea?"

Thelma turned away while blushing. "Damn it, stop. You've had your way with women, Bree. That's what I didn't take off my mind."

"Ooooh. You read my profile." Bree then licked her lip. "What else did you read there?"

That seductive atmosphere was starting to affect Thelma. "Okay... let's draw the line. I liked boys, not girls, okay?"

"You're just saying that, Thelma."

"That's a true dyke talking to me." Thelma decided to look seriously at Brianna's eyes, then continued with a glare while crossing her arms. "You should consider yourself lucky to be beautiful and no one even bathed you in gravy."

"Eww. But seriously... I'll do it for you."

"What the?"

"Come on. Humor me for once."

"Your mother wouldn't like it."

"She already recognized this from me, Thelma."

"Easy there. I'm not your friend... yet. Okay. I got it that your mother knows... but please... not all people would like this."

"Not all people, huh? Wanna start?"

Thelma narrowed her eyes with those eyes still glaring at Brianna's. She made a heavy sigh and approached her, then pushed the redhead with her back on the bed. She then got over Brianna. "Fine. Don't make me regret it, Bree, or I'll kill you."

"Look who's the better dyke now. C'mere!" Brianna whispered as she pulled Thelma's face in. Their lips then touched each others... and she started to get her tongue in. This took Thelma a little in surprise, but got used to it. Then she felt her right cup squeezed. ' _She's squeezing my breast? She's attracted._ '

Thelma pulled away from the kiss. "That thing about me liking boys? I lied, bitch. You better be ready to get your bed wet."

"Bring it." Brianna made that smug face before their lips met again...

 _ ***6 minutes later...***_

Their clothes were scattered on the bed and at its sides. Both of them were nude, seated on the bed, while Thelma was behind her companion, leading while kissing her lover's neck. ' _You could have been much aggressive. You'll regret having messed with me._ ' Then she suddenly reached her lover's breasts and squeezed them.

"Uhhn! Mein Gott...! Uhh...!" She then held her cups together with Thelma. ' _This ecstasy... Yeah..._ ' She kept moaning as she was massaged by her lover.

"If ever you need someone rough... don't hesitate to call. I wanna punish you for toying with me." Thelma chuckled evilly as she squeezed Bree's breasts again and again, making her lover moan.

"Uhhn... yeah! Do it, girl! Do it!"

 _ ***8 more minutes later...***_

This time, Brianna was lying on the bed, but Thelma's pussy was already over her lover's face... while she's getting the rough service. "Uhhn!" She moaned as she felt her insides being licked... her clit being touched sensitively. This was a mean session for Thelma. Instead of getting Brianna pleasure... she's forcing her lover to get her own pleasure. She was clearly way ahead. "Yeah... ahh... Uhhn! Come on... I don't want this to end! Make me cum... then I'll make you feel good." Thelma moaned more and moaned louder than ever. ' _My insides... they're starting to..._ ' "Uhhn... ahh... I'm... CUMMING!" Then Thelma finally released her first warmth.

Brianna closed her eyes as she felt the liquids on her face and her mouth. Thelma's liquid was like nectar to her. ' _Of all women who's got good nectar, Thelma qualifies in them!_ ' She thought as she licked her lover's pussy hole a little more before she felt Thelma get off her face. A moment passed and she felt something getting in between her legs. She sat up and discovered that Thelma's pussy was aligned to her, and her lover's legs were putting one of Brianna's in between. "The scissor?"

"Why not?" Thelma chuckled again as she started to move. Both of them were being pleasured as their pussies rubbed each other's. "Uhhn... ahh.."

"Uhhhn! Yeah! Yeah! You know your stuff!"

"Be ready! Ahhh... I'm gonna make you regret having screwed with me!" Thelma said in meaningly as she made a moderate speed on her rubbing. This turned on Brianna and they were drowned in the pleasure they both created. "Submit!"

"Not yet, Thelma! I wanna make you cum again. It gives me credit!"

"Then let's see who cums first after this. Whoever cums first... she gets to be peed on."

"Bring it on! Like it dirty? I'll dirty you, love!" Brianna grinned as she countered Thelma's rubbing as she did it more pleasingly. Thelma took this in surprise. ' _The more aggressive I am, the better it'll be. She'll be losing twice then!_ '

 _ ***5 minutes in the scissors formation...***_

Clearly in the lead, Brianna saw Thelma's face was drowned deeper in lust. "Finally... you're losing! You... submit!"

"Uhhn... ahh... Bree... your pussy... feels... good! I'm about to... Uhhn... CUM!"

"Ohh... Thelma... I'm... CUMMING!" Brianna then gasped and moaned as she released her warmth, and felt the warmth of her lover as well. Liquids oozed from her pussy and Thelma's, but the victory goes to Brianna after knowing Thelma submitted that the opponent was better. ' _Now for the punishment._ '

They later got off the bed. Thelma kneeled on the fluffy floor and felt her hair held tight by Brianna's mean hand. She saw the Karlslander-Liberion's lustful eyes as she treated Thelma like a slave after winning over here. "So... a deal is a deal."

"Go ahead, punish me like a slave... Like your personal toilet." Thelma smiled before she was pushed down with her back on the fluffy floor.

Brianna immediately squatted and got her pussy over her slave's face. "Open your mouth, bitch." Brianna finally released her pee after knowing Thelma's mouth was open and pleasured drowned Thelma as she tasted the salty liquids of her night's mistress. Their skins shined under the light of the dim room due to their sweat.

It took a few minutes before they were lying next to each other on the fluffy floor. They were kissing as their tongues did the work in their own passion. ' _So this is what it feels like to be punished... I thought I could overtake someone knowledgeable as she is._ ' Thelma thought as she kissed her lover continuously.

Bree then pulled away from the kiss. "So how'd you find my own house of lust?"

"Cheeky. I never knew you could be much meaner."

"Are you talking about your deal? Don't forget that I've gone through all kinds of lust just to understand why people should stay away from it. I gave you this experience to see if you have any rejections with how I think. I never knew you'd stay."

"Well, at least you know what I like."

"I like girls, Thelma. I'm on... with another Karlslander and I'm betraying her like this. It's for your sake, Thelma."

"What did you see in me?"

"You were lonely. And I've known immediately after you left. At any time, you would have collapsed... but you... CHOSE to be in an experiment because there was nothing left for you except help in the field of science. Tell me... you sacrificed a part of your humanity as the price. Why?"

"Would you believe that I wanted to be free... not to be under anyone's watch for a change?"

"That shallow?"

"I didn't want to be watched. I wanna be an icon... but I don't want to be ordered around... and kept being used while others die around me. I didn't like how the higher-ups have dealt heavily with those situations. I thought I could last under their rule... I did... but I witnessed my whole unit crushed."

"But you got into an experiment anyway. You could have been played into getting into the army anyway. Why did you do it?"

"I did it because something set me free. I realized that after a long while of serving Liberion, all I saw was regret, but I also saw the goodness out of all the things that happened in the unit. Even if my friends DID die... what would matter was my next course of action. After I left you guys... I took a break. Then... I considered going to be an experiment. However... I made sure I was like a failed experiment on that timeline... and I would only serve as someone great in the future. I found myself active back a year ago. The world has changed, of course."

"So was the deal about you being used in the future for the reason of protecting future interests a cover-up?"

"Yeah. The real reason was that I wanted to serve with a different purpose. They helped me... and they got me to this level with no failures. I'm going solo... but it's nothing to worry about."

"But it's lonely."

"Don't worry, bitch." Thelma chuckled before she pulled Brianna in for a kiss. They took a few moments of kissing before she pulled away. "It changed a little when I kissed you the first time."

"Just from me?"

"You'll see." Thelma concluded as they continued to kiss... ignoring her lover's bed and how they've made that night at mess...

 _ ***Safehouse...***_

The safehouse was almost dark and a light shining over a table was the only source of attention that a few men had while discussing.

It was lead by a Xingiet man. "This is what we're going to distribute." A small bag of white powder was placed on the table. "Maybe it isn't our main game... but this will make a big turn towards our industry. Jun Xi had done everything for the clan. I'm going to make sure I get that empire back. I don't care how he does it, and all I care is making sure the empire rises."

"What's the next step?" An old Liberion asked.

"My escape was a slim chance... and I'm pulling all stops. If I can do it... others can. They like a distribution of products... and they're expecting it from us... its makers. White Grain will be a hit... and it'll be something they will never expect."

"And the distribution plan?"

"Just through regular sugar factories."

"But that's..."

"...an insertion? Yes."

"It's almost impossible! We'll never be able to penetrate sugar factories or outlets."

"True. But we've already infiltrated their system. It's already happening as we speak."

"And?"

"Finally, we'll be initiating deals. The US Senate will never see that the sugar trade will make them all crash. When they find out that the triads have been framing them as they were accepting illegal drugs, it would be too late. The drugs would be examined... but none of the sugar would have the illegal contents that White Grain has."

"Wait, how?"

"You'll know soon enough. How soon can the deal happen? We've made a good step recently."

"It's happening in a week. Preparations are being made and the cover for the Beijing government's involvement is in place. We're ready."

"Not even that nosy detective is going to stop us." The Xingiet man chuckled.

"Why the senate?"

"A lot of plans are happening with the Xingiet clans in both Xing in Liberion. I expect you'll be able to deliver what I ask of you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I expect a report in two days time."

"I can make it... tomorrow morning." The Liberion man chuckled in his confidence. It would all seem to be true.

 _ ***The next morning...***_

 _ **[All units, we have an assault in progress. Targets are a convoy of two military flatbed trucks and they are requesting assistance. Suspects are armed dangerous and...]**_

The black and blue highlight-haired detective turned off the sound from the recorded radio call. As he drove his blue Ford Torino GT at the A1A highway near Palm Island, he saw the horrific scene. One of the flatbed trucks almost in ashes and the other with all its passengers and its driver dead. Last night... the radios were going crazy about a call from a military convoy transporting weapons out of Miami to Fort Hill just off California. The weapons were then taken and the trucks and its passengers were taken down. That wasn't the strange thing. Apparently, yellow streaks happened to have been seen, and it contributed to the death of all the soldiers guarding the weapons. The target area before transfer out of Miami was a private airstrip at Belle Isle due to scheduling problems... but the convoy was stopped just when the convoy of trucks left Watson Island.

The detective walked around the scene and saw the trucks with bullet holes on one of them and burns on the other exploded truck. ' _The one with the bullet holes must have been where the smaller ones were. Most of the personnel were on this truck._ '

" _ **Detective Ray... what is your business here?**_ " He turned to see a 30-year old woman. The woman herself was named Jenna Carter... the lead captain of the FBI's investigation unit. "I suppose you're here because of what transpired."

"Yeah. Radio traffic got detailed when I listened in to the recordings."

"So you've been listening as well."

"Yeah. Recently, some BMW's were being chased around the city, but suspects were able to lose their tails pretty quick. I'm sure you're not surprised by what I'll say next."

"What?"

"They're decoys."

"Of course I knew."

"Then this investigation will clearly get us to work together."

"No. This is a very serious matter, Detective. It's not something your police force will be able to handle. We're talking about high-grade weapons. It's something more than your M4's will be able to handle."

Ray's surprised. "Wait... what kind?"

"...the kind that can shred anyone to pieces. If I were you, I would drop it. You clearly have no jurisdiction because this is our investigation now. You focus is elsewhere. Now... leave."

 _ ***Travelling towards Watson Island...***_

He drove away disappointingly knowing that he can't get close to the investigation. He had to find some way to at least know what the FBI has to uncover. Clearly, he was only going to chase the decoy cars. If this would be the case... the suspects who have hijacked and destroyed the trucks were not a coincidence but also tied. Ray knew this immediately after the directions of the cars and the trucks were opposite. It's good to distract the squad cars with the cars, but he had yet to know what the Feds are investigating. And so... he had to call in a little favor... ' _If this thing goes out of control in Miami... It'll be very bad. These are weapons we're talking about. I'm sure the next night would be about selling or using the weapons just nearby. I'm not letting that happen. It's about time I update my objective map..._ '

 _ ***Detective Ray's office... District 4 Miami Police Department...***_

He was looking at the board with the updates of anything relating to gun running in Miami. The mafia has its own shares. Its benefactors... always slip out of his hand. The very ones who face its benefits could be the gangs themselves or another party just out of selling them... and it happens in the city. If it hits the streets... it may unleash gang wars in between cities. He must not let HIS city become a battlefield. But he also drew other possibilities for the fate of any weapons batch used or sold. However, with this gun running case... there was something suspicious.

Ray recently came in contact with a Xingiet triad asset who died after selling information. Although he has his hands dirty... he knows it's for the better of the city. The information he obtained was about an unknown two-party sugar trade. It didn't fool him as to what it really is, and one of the parties is one of the clans for the Xingiet Triad. However... he has no credible evidence. He needed to know why an unknown sugar trade will happen.

After calling in a call meeting with some of his associates... his partner, Bill Vaughn, came in. He had black hair like Ray has and he was more into the formal detective outfit unlike Ray. He had an envelope with him and he handed it over. "I just got this from one of the Feds assets and it was a personal request. I don't know what the hell's got into you but you shouldn't just keep me in the dark." Then he looked at the 'board.' "Crap. You've been into it again."

Ray ignored his partner as he opened the envelope. The contents unveiled photos of a US Senator... and Ray was caught off-guard. Senator Gray was with Jun Xi... and it wasn't just a coincidence. In fact... Gray was also known to have been with other clan leaders... and there were two other clan leaders. ' _This is..._ ' His eyes widened and he focused on his partner's. "Did you have a look at these?"

"On what?"

"We just hit the gold mine." Ray said as he revealed the photos. Vaughn was shocked of this and he looked closely. "That's senator Francis Gray, also known to be one of the most respected technology enthusiasts and public safety icons just before he turned into a politician. Who was the Fed asset that you got to talk to?"

"He couldn't reveal any more details, but he told us he's got two trusted people he could send to talk to you about the details. We can't let this evidence go out yet... but he's got his tracks covered from the FBI director."

"Covered?"

"Yeah. He's been investigating gun running like you are, and he knows you've been doing the same thing."

"Wait... what does this have to relate to..."

"...I know. Those two cases were related because Fort Hill was supposed to receive another shipment of those weapons. The first one came in as planned in California... but this is the second one that didn't arrive. Someone was paid to target these weapons. And he claimed that the Eagle Claw clan's responsible."

"鷹爪? Maybe it's not surprising. Eagle Claw was fast on their feet when it comes to raiding convoys... and I don't like them one bit. They got members all over the world and they're the most feared... and moreover, untraceable."

"You think that the yellow streak was related to them?"

"If the yellow streak was related... then it's been around for a week. I've been monitoring the news and it's the trend somewhere in Mexico and Dakota. Apparently, the 'Yellow Streak' was given that title when he got related for raiding and stopping convoys, both drug-related and gun-running ops. It means he's been making friends and getting payments rather quick. If he's here, involved in the Miami convoy attack... then we've got bigger problems. Probably, the FBI passed this case to someone who can handle him... but I intend to make sure I catch the perpetrators... both in the convoy incident and this sugar trade."

"So what do we do?"

"We start tracing what the weapons contain. FBI's got the evidence... and we need a way to try getting the information from the evidence. I'm making sure I don't get this city to be a drug-centered one and a battlefield. I hope you're with me."

"I am."

"Good. Cause the next step's going to involve what the weapons are in those trucks. If I get a range of what the weapons are, I could connect both the incident and the new sugar trade."

"They call it White Grain."

"White Grain, huh? I hope we got a sample."

Vaughn then chuckled just before he got his hand in his pocket. He took out a small plastic containing some white powder. "Like this one?"

"Shit. You didn't have to."

"I have to. That fed asset's given us both a favor too. He's sending two of his agents over. You don't need to play dirty."

"...Because he is." Ray laughed at this matter. He knew he can get his own hands dirty just because a dirtier fed was helping him out. "Maybe he's doing it for his own? Look... we just need to be sure we do our part."

"He insisted anyway."

"Really?" Ray said as he cupped his chin. "I guess we can get some extra help. This IS something that will not be recorded, or will it be? I guess we'll owe it to him. What's his name?"

"Jeff Turner, Special Investigations unit of the FBI. He's got good people under him, but he sometimes unorthodox and it gets results."

"He gets somewhere just because his ways are pretty unique?"

"Yeah. Feds have allowed him THAT position as long as the directors know... but this is off the books." Vaughn explained before he had given a calling card. "This is it. Just call his number if you wanna talk to him."

 _ ***Judy's Doughnuts... 1123 hours...***_

Jeff was seated and he stretched his arms. The 35 year old knew his career could be on the line, but he needed to let others see the finer details beyond what his old team would do. But then he also heard from his caller from the NSA that the sugar trade will undoubtedly be connected to the weapons hijack on the A1A. Which was why, he was provided with the best... Brianna Fray from the CIA and Thelma Mcguire as a representative from the NSA.

He took a bite off his doughnut and put on his plate before he began. "So let me get this straight: I get to assign the both of you to be undercover FBI agents only for you to find the details for the sugar trade?"

"Sure. Problem?" Thelma said with a glare but Brianna elbowed her arm.

"Hey." Brianna whispered, which made him a little concerned.

"Are you two okay?"

"What she meant to say is... We're trying to connect a few dots ourselves. We've been looking at an investigation ourselves, and this seems to be quite connected."

"How so?"

"Recently, some new players have started to check in the drug business, but we haven't had that evidence either. However... the White Grain that's rolling the streets is certainly something worth looking. It's also related to some Xingiet businessmen who started underground activities, with one of them including distribution of the product to different cities."

"Wait... back up... One of them?"

"We believe the late Jun Xi just left quite a fortune to someone. We just discovered that a will was passed to someone even we can't identify yet. The Intelligence Agency is hoping we get to a smaller group. That's why I'm around here. My friend here from the NSA has another objective: She believes the escaped prisoner name Yin Tsung... is actually involved in the sugar trade."

"What the hell? Why would he go to such heights just to launch an empire? He could have just skipped town."

"Or maybe he's still not going to leave yet. Whatever his motives are... her job is to find out after she captures him."

Then Thelma interrupted her friend. "The two of us will have different objectives... but it seems the detective in this town would need the evidence. Putting this whole drug deal down with Yin Tsung would seem right."

Brianna looked at Thelma with a smile. "Aw. I kinda like that side of you."

"Shut up."

" _ **Ladies.**_ Let's get this over with. You arrive at the PD District 4 in the afternoon. I sent his partner a notification that you two would meet her. As for your ID's..."

"We got that handled." Brianna interrupted him.

"Eh, what?"

"It's okay." Thelma said as she brought out her ID and badge from the FBI. Her name is inscribed beside the picture. "What did I tell ya?" She chuckled before she put it away and stood up. "Bree... I'll be waiting in the car."

"Sure." Bree repied as she saw her partner walk out of the snack diner. She looked back at Turner, who then had a puzzled look. "What?"

"You two surely are close."

"Close?"

"I mean... close... CLOSE."

Brianna widened her eyes. "You're quite perceptive."

"Thanks. Just... be careful of who you're sticking to."

"Oh? Well... I'm already on with someone else... but even SHE doesn't mind either."

"Doesn't hurt her?"

"Nope."

"I don't think it's the case. You're backstabbing her anyway." Jeff chuckled before he shouted to the waitress. "Yo! Get me another doughnut!" But when he looked back at where Brianna was, she was gone. Instead he found a note with a lipstick kiss on it. Then he read the note at the back. " _ **You can count on us. We'll contact you again if anything interesting happens. Thanks for your cooperation.**_ Tsk. Girls."

 _ ***In a car going to west Miami...***_

"We'll keep a low-profile, Thelma." Brianna said as she was on the right-hand passenger seat while her partner was on the wheel. "That's all we need to do... be less suspicious so we don't attract unwanted attention. Turner already has something arranged, so I don't think we should worry."

"Yeah. The next we know... we're both unwanted while in our graves."

"Now you're just unbelievably crazy. Mom always told me to be really stretchy with this situation. We find what we want... we finish some things with him... and we leave. Got it?"

"Since when were you my boss? Or your driver?"

"It started since you were complaining as to how we haven't found him. We do our best at finding the man by doing the investigation with Detective Ray. And I'm making sure... by the request of the NSA, that you're kept in line."

"In line?" Thelma then snorted. "Great. Now I have a babysitter."

"70-year old babysitter, if you don't mind..."

"At least you're a sexy 70-year old."

"Wanna bet on it?" Brianna said with smug face before Thelma immediately reacted.

"No! No way! You're damn beautiful the way you are!"

"Huh? Well I'm not changing into a 70-year old woman if you're asking." Bree smiled before she winked. "Don't worry. We'll have lots of time for ourselves."

"You mean with the fucking?"

"Yeah." She giggled before they both kept silent. Thelma was blushing, but has her eyes on the road...

* * *

I know, I know, there's not much action. I'm still cooking preparations for that, but you'll find things interesting once I post the next chapter. ;) Until then, stay tuned! :D After the hunting party chapters... I'll resume "The World's Finest."


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